Simple Summary Cancer therapies influence a patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sexual function. Patients with neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) have impaired HRQoL and sexual function because of the long-lasting disease with a high tumor burden that requires multiple treatments with different mechanisms of action. Moreover, the complexity of symptoms may be due, at least to a certain extent, to the tumor secretion and release of polypeptides and biogenic amines that cause several clinical conditions including the carcinoid syndrome. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an effective treatment in patients with NEN. Retrospective studies and randomized clinical trials have reported that patients with NEN treated with PRRT experienced an improvement in HRQoL evaluated by self-assessment questionnaires, such as the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-GINET21. The impact on sexual function has only been investigated in part through these questionnaires. This review discusses the current knowledge regarding the changes in HRQoL and sexual function in patients with NEN treated with PRRT. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), also called radioligand therapy, is an effective antitumoral treatment in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN). It improves the patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which is evaluated by self-assessment questionnaires. The aim of this narrative review was to report the current knowledge on the changes of HRQoL and sexual function in patients with NEN treated with PRRT. We conducted a literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and APA PsycInfo databases. We selected 15 studies (12 for HRQoL and three for sexual function). After treatment with PRRT, patients with NEN experienced a significant improvement in their global health status, disease-related worries, social and emotional functioning, and cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue and diarrhea. Other symptoms, such as nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, and constipation, as well as the economic impact, were unchanged by radioligand therapy. Data on sexual function were not equally promising; only a few studies investigated this issue by using appropriate questionnaires in patients treated with radioligand therapy. Therefore, additional studies are needed to draw a conclusion about the benefits from PRRT on sexual function.

The Effects of Radioligand Therapy on Quality of Life and Sexual Function in Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

Di Molfetta, Sergio;
2022-01-01

Abstract

Simple Summary Cancer therapies influence a patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sexual function. Patients with neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) have impaired HRQoL and sexual function because of the long-lasting disease with a high tumor burden that requires multiple treatments with different mechanisms of action. Moreover, the complexity of symptoms may be due, at least to a certain extent, to the tumor secretion and release of polypeptides and biogenic amines that cause several clinical conditions including the carcinoid syndrome. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an effective treatment in patients with NEN. Retrospective studies and randomized clinical trials have reported that patients with NEN treated with PRRT experienced an improvement in HRQoL evaluated by self-assessment questionnaires, such as the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-GINET21. The impact on sexual function has only been investigated in part through these questionnaires. This review discusses the current knowledge regarding the changes in HRQoL and sexual function in patients with NEN treated with PRRT. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), also called radioligand therapy, is an effective antitumoral treatment in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN). It improves the patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which is evaluated by self-assessment questionnaires. The aim of this narrative review was to report the current knowledge on the changes of HRQoL and sexual function in patients with NEN treated with PRRT. We conducted a literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and APA PsycInfo databases. We selected 15 studies (12 for HRQoL and three for sexual function). After treatment with PRRT, patients with NEN experienced a significant improvement in their global health status, disease-related worries, social and emotional functioning, and cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue and diarrhea. Other symptoms, such as nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, and constipation, as well as the economic impact, were unchanged by radioligand therapy. Data on sexual function were not equally promising; only a few studies investigated this issue by using appropriate questionnaires in patients treated with radioligand therapy. Therefore, additional studies are needed to draw a conclusion about the benefits from PRRT on sexual function.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11586/519904
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