Current Research

Research for endocrine tumors is ongoing. The following advances may still be under investigation in clinical trials and may not be approved or available at this time. Always discuss all diagnostic and treatment options with your doctor. Also, be sure to read the Current Research section of the specific cancer type that has been diagnosed.

Combination chemotherapy and surgery. The drug combination of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) and irinotecan (Camptosar) along with surgery is being studied to treat endocrine tumors.

Antiangiogenesis research. Antiangiogenesis research, which explores how tumors develop their blood supplies and how agents disrupt these blood supplies, may benefit people with endocrine tumors. Vatalanib (PTK787) is an antiangiogenesis agent that may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Vatalanib is given with the drug octreotide (Sandostatin), which helps control symptoms, such as diarrhea, caused by some tumors.