Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (panNET) are among the rarest forms of pancreatic cancer, accounting for only about 2% of reported cases. In general, the prognosis for pancreatic cancer is poor, but new research out of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center indicates that the drug everolimus (Afinitor®) can extend the time of progression-free survival. Everolimus inhibits the activity of an enzyme called mTOR, a kinase. The same drug, under a different brand name (Zortress®), is used to treat organ transplant recipients to reduce organ rejection.
The study compared patients treated with everolimus with patients treated with a placebo. The latter group had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 4.6 months, whereas the everolimus group had a median PFS of 11.0 months. The results showed a 65% reduced risk of cancer progression or death. Everolimus also exhibited limited adverse effects, which offers hope of extending both length and quality of life for patients with advanced panNET.
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