Drug sensitivity profiles of PNET, SBNET and NEC spheroids

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Introduction: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rare cancers that arise from neuroendocrine cells. NENs are classified as well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). Few mutations have been identified for NETs from the small bowel (SBNETs) and pancreas (PNETs). SBNETs and PNETs are generally slow growing but they commonly metastasize to the liver and can become aggressive cancers. NECs often harbour mutations in key cell cycle genes (TP53 and RB) and are highly proliferative. Little is known about the drug sensitivity profile of SBNET, PNET and NECs due to the lack of cellular and animal models of these malignancies. Recently, we have developed a protocol to culture NET and NEC cells from patient tumors as patient-derived spheroids and showed that they express NEN markers.

Aim(s): We aim to determine the drug sensitivity profiles of NEN spheroids.

Materials and methods: We used 11 SBNET, 3 PNET, and 2 NEC spheroid lines in a drug screen against a panel of 175 compounds where 147 are FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs.

Conference: 18th Annual ENETS Concerence (2021)

Presenting Author: Ear P

Authors: Ear P, Tran C, Li G, Abusada E, Mudd J,

Keywords: PNET, SBNET, NEC, drug testing, spheroids,