Home » Research » Cancers We Research » Our neuroendocrine tumour research is performed as a collaboration between our medical oncologists and medical physicists at Royal North Shore Hospital. It is focused on increasing the prognostic potential of nuclear imaging for improved management and outcomes for patients with these tumours.
NETs are rare but the incidence is increasing and is currently estimated to be 4 individuals per 100,000
NETS can arise in almost any organ of the body, but are most common in the gastrointestinal system
NETS grow at different rates with some tumours being very slow growing and others very aggressive
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) or tumours (NETs) are uncommon, but increasing in incidence. They can occur in almost any organ of the body, most commonly in the small bowel, pancreas and lung. They are marked by a huge variation in biological aggressiveness and clinical outcomes (“heterogeneity”). Low-grade tumours can stay stable for many years, and some may never need treatment in a patient’s lifetime. On the other hand, high-grade tumours are very aggressive, and carry a poor prognosis even with aggressive treatment. Therefore, improved understanding of why some NENs behave aggressively and others do not can help clinicians recommend the best therapy for patients affected by this disease.
Clinician Researchers: Dr Connie Diakos (left) and PhD Scholar Dr David Chan (right)
Dr Connie Diakos is a clinician scientist and medical oncology involved in the treatment of gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine tumours, breast and gynaecological cancers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the Northern Cancer Institute. She has an extensive research background, having completed a PhD examining the mechanism of action of platinum anti-cancer drugs.
Dr David Chan is a medical oncologist and PhD scholar studying neuroendocrine tumours.
projects
The role of dual PET scans in understanding NET behaviour
Dr David Chan, Prof Dale Bailey, A/Prof Paul Roach, Prof Stephen Clarke, Dr Connie Diakos, A/Prof Nick Pavlakis
Our current research focuses on the role of PET scans in understanding NEN behaviour, particularly dual PET (68Ga-DOTATATE and FDG PET). We have developed a simple score (the NETPET score) to objectively describe the findings on dual PET. We have shown that this NETPET score correlates with tumour biology, and also that it can predict patient outcome. Our current research focuses on expanding the evidence base for the NETPET score.
This research is supported by Sydney Vital and an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship.
Analysing PET scans for NETs
Dr David Chan, Prof Dale Bailey, A/Prof Paul Roach, Prof Stephen Clarke, Dr Connie Diakos, A/Prof Nick Pavlakis
In addition to analysing the NETPET score we are also investigating various novel ways to analyse PET scans for NEN patients.
This research is supported by Sydney Vital and an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship.
