The University of Toledo Translation Journal of Medical Sciences 
Haematology and Oncology Abstract, Department of Medicine Research Symposium UTJMS 2023 May 5; 11(1):e1-e1 

Immunotherapeutic Interventions in Carcinoid Tumors 

Anthony Nigro, M31*, J. Creeden, PhD, L. Dworkin, MD, S. Varatharajan, M3, S. Vellani, M4 

1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The University of Toledo, 
Toledo, OH 43614 

*Corresponding author: Anthony.Nigro@rockets.utoledo.edu

Published: 05 May 2023 

Introduction: Management of carcinoid tumors consists of pharmacological treatment and surgical resection. 
Pharmacologic treatments have side effects and are often limited in their scope. Though surgical intervention can 
be curative, carcinoid tumors are asymptomatic and are not detected until they metastasize. Immunotherapy has 
the potential to overcome the limitations both surgical and pharmacologic options face. Active and passive 
immunotherapeutic options for treatment of carcinoid tumors are summarized here.   

Methods: A PubMed search was conducted yielding studies focused on carcinoid tumor characteristics, standards 
of care, and immunotherapeutic approaches. Carcinoid tumor immunotherapy clinical trial results and other 
relevant data was extracted from each study.   

Results: The search yielded 16 studies encompassing 6 immunotherapies. Two studies reported overall response 
rates (ORR) to combined ipilimumab-nivolumab as 25% and 26%. ORR to pembrolizumab monotherapy was 
reported by two studies as 3.7% and 12%. Pembrolizumab combined with lanreotide produced stable disease in 
40% of patients. Spartalizumab ORR was 7.4%. Lu-Dotatate ORR was 14.7% with 65.2% progression-free 
survival after 20 months. Tidutamab achieved stable disease in 27% of patients. AdVince was tumoricidal to 
100% of resected metastatic carcinoid tumor cells and delayed subcutaneous carcinoid tumor growth in mice.   

Conclusion: All immunotherapeutic agents achieved significant antitumor activity defined by their respective 
studies, with the exception of spartalizumab. However, immunotherapy demonstrated limited benefit as a 
monotherapy to carcinoid tumor management. Treatment related-adverse events may require future monitoring 
and evaluation. Further investigation is warranted to assess immunotherapy efficacy as an adjunct to 
chemotherapy and surgical resection. 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-738 

https://dx.doi.org/10.46570/utjms.vol11-2023-738
mailto:Anthony.Nigro@rockets.utoledo.edu