Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent a rare and complex category of neoplasms that can originate in various organs, posing significant challenges in early diagnosis and treatment. These tumors exhibit diverse characteristics, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach for effective management. Current diagnostic imaging primarily relies on radiotracers such as 68Ga-DOTATATE for somatostatin receptor-expressing tumors and 18FDG for poorly differentiated cancers. While surgical resection remains the cornerstone for curative treatment in localized NETs, it is often not an option for the 30-70% of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease. For these cases, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) offers a systemic treatment option, particularly for tumors with high somatostatin receptor expression. Despite advancements in diagnostics and systemic therapies, there remains a critical gap in tools for early detection and treatment, underscoring the need for innovative research to address these challenges and improve patient outcomes.

This research topic aims to compile a comprehensive collection of pioneering studies in the field of NETs, with a focus on advancing diagnostic imaging, identifying new biomarkers, and exploring the metabolism and tumor microenvironment of NETs. The goal is to foster progress in understanding these tumors and highlight cutting-edge therapeutic approaches, including somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-based therapies, immunotherapies, and advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. By addressing these areas, the research seeks to answer critical questions and test hypotheses that could lead to significant improvements in the management and treatment of NETs.

To gather further insights into the complexities of neuroendocrine tumors, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Development of new therapeutic approaches, including SSTR-based and targeted therapies
- Exploration of immunotherapies and ATMPs, such as CAR T cells
- Retrospective and prospective comparisons of current therapy lines
- Innovations in liquid biopsy and diagnostic techniques
- The role of radiomics in monitoring NET progression
- Elucidation of NET metabolism and tumor microenvironment in tumorigenesis and therapy resistance
Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

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Frontiers in Oncology

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