Capecitabine–Temozolomide Therapy for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Low- and intermediate-grade pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that progress on somatostatin analogue therapy are responsive to systemic therapies, which include sunitinib, everolimus, and streptozotocin- or temozolomide-based chemotherapy. Many chemotherapy case series have been retrospective single-institution reports. Investigators now report results from an open-label, multicenter, randomized, phase 2 trial comparing temozolomide versus the combination of capecitabine and temozolomide in patients with low- or intermediate-grade pancreatic NETs that progressed on prior therapy (somatostatin analogues, everolimus and/or sunitinib).

Of 133 patients, the median age was 61 years, 55% were men, 94% had liver metastases, 35% had received p…