Episode 33: Focus on Targeted Therapies

ABOUT THIS EPISODEWhat are Targeted Therapies and how do they work? How and when would they be used in NETs? Dr. Scott Paulson from Baylor Cancer Center in Dallas discusses common questions and concerns about targeted therapies including side effects, dosing and treatment sequencing. Bonus: Dr. Paulson shares how we can learn from Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak in understanding treatment goals with NETs.MEET DR. SCOTT PAULSONDr. Paulson is a medical oncologist and the medical director for the Neuroendocrine Research and Treatment Center at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, Texas. He also serves as the co-director of the Gastrointestinal Research Program for the Sarah Cannon Research Institute.Dr. Paulson earned his medical doctorate at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He took his residency and an internship in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachuests. His fellowship was completed in medical oncology at the University of California, San Francisco.  Dr. Paulson is active in clinical research focused on neuroendocrine tumors as well as cancers of the pancreas, liver, esophagus, stomach, and colon. Dr. Paulson is active in clinical research focused on neuroendocrine tumors as well as cancers of the pancreas, liver, esophagus, stomach, and colon. He currently is an investigator on a clinical trial studying nab-sirolimus, a mTOR inhibitor, which is a type of targeted therapy.TOP TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT TARGETED THERAPIES FOR NETs:1. What are targeted therapies?  Are they considered chemotherapy? How do they work?2. What are the different types of targeted therapies for NETs?3. When and how are targeted therapies used?4. What side effects might someone have when taking a targeted therapy? a.Can targeted therapies affect blood sugars or cause diabetes?b. Can targeted therapies cause one to be immunocompromised?c. Can targeted therapies affect one’s blood counts?5. What is the goal of treatment with targeted therapies? (Why would one take these drugs given the potential side effects? Can the side effects be managed?)6. How do you decide which targeted therapy to recommend for a patient?7. Can a NET patient take more than one drug in this category? Can the medications be stopped and restarted?8. What is your approach with dosing?9. What is your approach with monitoring? What and how often do people need blood work?10. Does taking a targeted therapy preclude someone from getting another treatment in the future, such as Lutathera/PRRT, or a clinical trial of alpha PRRT?BONUS: What are the latest advances in targeted therapy? What is the future of targeted therapies?For more information, please visit https://www.lacnets.org/podcast/33. For more information, visit NCF.net.