Molecular-Guided Surgery for Pancreatic and GI Neuroendocrine Cancers

A challenge during cancer surgery is determining all sites of malignant disease. Accurate tumor localization is of utmost importance as complete resection increases the chance of cure and improves patient outcomes even when cure is not possible. However, finding the primary tumor can be very challenging and, in some cases, impossible. With the recent FDA approval of a PET tracer (Ga-68 DOTATATE) that binds to somatostatin receptors for imaging neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), the investigator's institution has the opportunity to dramatically improve the surgical care for these patients. Therefore, the aim for this study is to develop a molecular image-guided surgery program starting with GI NETs. GI NETs are malignant neoplasms that are increasing in prevalence. NETs cause a variety of debilitating symptoms, and, as a result, contribute substantially to cancer-related morbidity. Since the primary treatment for NET is surgical resection, NETs are an ideal model to launch a comprehensive image-guided surgery program. Many NETs are metastatic at presentation or will develop metastases during their course, and it is difficult to identify all disease visually and through manual palpation. Failure to surgically resect all disease leads to symptoms, metastatic disease, and multiple surgical interventions. Many institutions have recently begun using Ga-68 DOTATATE for PET/CT imaging of NETs, and this same tracer can be used for intra-operative localization of primary NETs as well as metastases. The primary impediment to using Ga-68 DOTATATE for this purpose is the need to develop and validate a high-energy gamma (HEG) probe for detecting NETs during surgery. This study will explore the new PET tracer technology and begin a molecular image-guided surgery program for NETs. This initial paradigm will be used to develop a molecular image guided approach to other cancers. It is expected that this type of program could usher a new era of cancer management at the investigator's institution at its forefront and improve outcomes for study participants.