Expanding the scope of the human somatostatin receptor as a target in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine in neuroendocrine tumor patients and as reporter gene for positron emission tomography

This work focuses on the use of the somatostatin receptor (SSTR), which binds the peptide somatostatin in a specific manner, like a key in a lock. The SSRT is
present in high numbers on the surface of cells of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) from the lung and the digestive tract. Derivatives of somatostatin labeled with
radioactive atoms, akin to radioactive keys fixed to their lock, are used to detect NET cells in patients with radiation sensitive PET scanners. Using other radioactive labels, very high radiation doses can be delivered to these tumors in a therapy called “peptide receptor radionuclide therapy” (PRRT), leading to prolonged tumor control.