Expression of CXCR4 Receptors in Refractory Atypical Mediastinal Carcinoid

Clin Nucl Med. 2020 Sep;45(9):e422-e424. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003177.

Abstract

Primary neuroendocrine tumor of the mediastinum is a relatively rare entity. In metastatic/inoperable disease, therapeutic options are limited to cytotoxic chemotherapy in poorly differentiated tumors and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in case of well-differentiated tumors. We present the case of a 52-year-old man with mediastinal atypical carcinoid (grade II) neuroendocrine tumor showing mild somatostatin receptor expression and intense FDG avidity with progressive disease on chemotherapy. Chemokine receptor targeted PET/CT with CXCR4 (Ga-CXCR4) showed tracer avidity in tumor sites higher than the physiological sites, which may pave the way for CXCR4-targeted radionuclide therapy in this subgroup of patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoid Tumor / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoid Tumor / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoid Tumor / metabolism*
  • Carcinoid Tumor / pathology
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Somatostatin / metabolism

Substances

  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • Receptors, Somatostatin
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18