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CompletedNCT01967537Updated Nov 19, 2019Results posted

Evaluation of 68Gallium-DOTATATE PET/CT for Detecting Neuroendocrine Tumors

A Phase 2 interventional study of 68Gallium DOTATATE and Radio-guided surgery in Neuroendocrine Tumors, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome and Hippel-Lindau Disease, sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 10 Years to 99 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-11-19.

Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Phase 2, Interventional, and Diagnostic

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
341
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
10 Years to 99 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background:

  • Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare but have been more common over the past decade. The only treatment for NETs is surgery, but most are found when they are too advanced for surgery. Researchers are looking for the best way to find NETs earlier, so that surgery can be successful. They want to test if the study drug can be used along with imaging devices to detect NETs.

Objectives:

  • To see how well a new experimental imaging agent, 68Gallium-DOTATATE, detects unknown primary and metastatic NETs in the gastrointestinal system and pancreas.

Eligibility:

  • Adults over 10 years old with a suspected NET or family history of NET.

Design:

  • Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam, and have a blood test.
  • Participants will undergo three scans. For all of these, a substance is injected into their body, they lie on a table, and a machine takes images.
  • A standard computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.
  • An octreotide scintigraphy Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT.
  • A 68Gallium-DOTATATE positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. The study drug is injected into a vein, usually in the arm. Low-dose X-rays go through the body. For about 40 minutes a large, donut-shaped device takes images of the body. The entire session takes 90 to 120 minutes.
  • Researchers will compare images from the three scans.
  • Participants will have 1 follow-up visit each year for 5 years. At this visit, they will have a medical exam, blood taken, and a CT scan.
Read the detailed description

Background:

  • Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare malignancies occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, islets of the pancreas, lung, adrenal medulla and thyroid C-cells.
  • Their incidence has increased over the last decade, with an incidence of 6 per 100,000 persons a year and they represent 0.46% of all malignancies.
  • Most NETs are sporadic, but they can be part of familial cancer syndromes such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), MEN2, and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) or Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome.
  • Surgical resection remains the only curative treatment option for patients with NETs but 80% of patients are diagnosed with advanced (metastatic, locally inoperable, or recurrent) disease.
  • The main prognostic factor in patients with NET is the extent of disease.
  • The best imaging technique for detecting unknown primary and metastatic NETs has yet to be determined.
  • NET cells express somatostatin receptors that can be targeted with radiolabeled 68Gallium-DOTATATE (Octreotate) for imaging purposes.
  • The primary goal of this protocol is to determine the accuracy of a new somatostatin receptor targeted imaging technique, using 68Gallium-DOTATATE PET/CT to detect unknown primary and metastatic NETs.

Objectives:

-To determine the accuracy of 68Gallium-DOTATATE PET/CT scans in detecting unknown primary and metastatic gastrointestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Eligibility:

  • Patients with:

    • suspicion of NET on axial imaging (CT/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG PET) and/or
    • biochemical evidence of NET (serum/urinary) based on elevated levels of chromogranin A, pancreatic polypeptide, neuron-specific enolase, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, serotonin (urinary 5-HIAA), gastrin, somatostatin, catecholamines, metanephrines, calcitonin, fasting insulin, C-peptide (proinsulin), glucagon and/or
    • familial predisposition to NET in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and VHL.
  • Age greater than or equal to 18 years of age.
  • Patients must be willing to return to National Institutes of Health (NIH) for follow-up.

Design:

  • Prospective study.
  • A 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT scan will be done in patients with suspicious lesions, unknown primary tumor or metastatic gastrointestinal or pancreatic neuroendocrine disease found on anatomic imaging (CT/MRI) or in patients having biochemically active disease.
  • Both functional and non-functional solid tumors will be included in this study. Furthermore, asymptomatic and symptomatic, sporadic and familial cases of NETs (such as Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), MEN1) will be included.
  • Demographic, clinical and pathologic data will be collected from the medical record and patient interview for each patient. Data will be stored in a computerized database.
  • After their initial on-study evaluation, patients will be staged according to findings on imaging studies with respect to primary tumor site, size and metastases. Surgical resection of NET and/or medical managements will be recommended based on standard practice guidelines. In patients who undergo surgical treatment, the samples will be immediately stored until molecular analysis.
  • Follow up will be done yearly for a total duration of 5 years. This includes a yearly imaging study and a biochemical and clinical evaluation, to assess tumor growth and disease progression.
  • We estimate that the accrual rate will be 3-10 patients per month; the total accrual period for this study will be 10 months to 3 years.
02

Conditions studied

  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome
  • Hippel-Lindau Disease

Keywords

  • NET
  • MEN1
  • Von Hippel Lindau (VHL)
  • Surgical Resection
  • Somatostatin Receptor Status
03

In context

Neuroendocrine Tumors

676 studies on the registry are indexed under Neuroendocrine Tumors; 169 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 341 is above the median of 42 across 464 interventional studies indexed under Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Browse Neuroendocrine Tumors studies →

Lead sponsor

National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the lead sponsor of 3,506 studies on the registry; 334 are open to participants now.

Of its 402 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 365 (91%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
10 Years to 99 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with (any one of #1, #2, and/or #3):

    1. Suspicion of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) on axial imaging (computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and/or
    2. biochemical evidence of neuroendocrine tumor (serum/urinary) based on elevated levels of chromogranin A, pancreatic polypeptide, neuron-specific enolase, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, serotonin (urinary 5-HIAA), gastrin, somatostatin, catecholamines, metanephrines, calcitonin, fasting insulin, C-peptide (proinsulin), glucagon and/or
    3. familial predisposition to NET in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) (symptomatic and/or asymptomatic cases; with biochemical or anatomic imaging evidence of disease).
  • Age greater than or equal to 10 years of age.
  • For females: Negative urine pregnancy test OR post-menopausal for at least 2 years OR patient has had a hysterectomy.
  • Patients must be willing to return to National Institutes of Health (NIH) for follow-up.
  • Ability of subject or Legally Authorized Representative (LAR) (if the patient is deemed by the treating physician to be cognitively impaired or questionably impaired in such a way that the ability of the patient to give informed consent is questionable) to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of this study.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Patients unwilling to undergo serial non-invasive imaging.
  • Pregnant or lactating women: Pregnant women are excluded from this study because the effects of (68)Ga-DOTATATE in pregnancy are not known. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to administration of

    (68)Ga-DOTATATE in the mother, breastfeeding should be discontinued for at least one day if the mother receives (68)Ga-DOTATATE.

  • Patients that have recognized concurrent active infection,
  • Patients with the use of any investigational product or device, excluding 18F-dihydroxyphenylalanine (F-DOPA) scans, within 30 days prior to dosing.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
341 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    68Gallium DOTATATE imaging

    68Gallium DOTATATE imaging

    Drug: 68Gallium DOTATATE · Procedure: Radio-guided surgery

Interventions

  • Drug68Gallium DOTATATE

    Fasting is not required prior to the imaging study. An IV line with a large bore (21 gauge or more) will be placed preferably in the antecubital vein, and, with the patient supine, around 5mCi of the 68Ga-DOTATATE will be administered intravenously, followed by incubation for approximately 60 minutes. Then the patient will be positioned in a PET/CT scanner and images from the upper thighs to the base of the skull will be obtained. In patients with tumor induced osteomalacia, images from the top of the head to the toes will be obtained.

  • ProcedureRadio-guided surgery

    Using 68Gallium DOTATATE

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Lesions Detected Using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) Scan

    Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) were scanned with the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) and the number of lesions detected are collected.

    Time frame: During PET Scan, up to 2 hours annually for up to 5 years

Secondary outcomes

  1. Mean Radiation Activity Between Low Grade and Intermediate Grade Neuroendocrine Tumor

    The radioactivity was assessed using intraoperative radiation detector following the 68Gallium-DOTATATE injection. Low grade neuroendocrine tumors is defined as tumors with slow cell division determined in histology. Low grade tumors is associated with the best outcome. Intermediate grade tumor is defined as the tumor with medium (3-20%) rate of actively dividing cells and is associated with less favorably outcome.

    Time frame: During radioguided surgery, up to 2 hours

  2. Tumor Volume of Neuroendocrine Tumors Assessed by the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan

    Participants were scanned using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan. Tumor volume more than 7ml is associated with shorter time to disease progression. Tumor volume more than 36 ml is associated with shorter disease specific survival.

    Time frame: During radioguided surgery, up to 2 hours

  3. Median Radioactivity of Tumors With High Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2 Compared to Tumors With Intermediate Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2

    High expression of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) is based on the intensity grading on immunohistochemistry. High SSTR2 expression may be associated with well-differentiated tumor and high avidity on DOTATATE scan, compared to intermediate or low expression of SSTR that can be seen in poorly differentiated and often aggressive neuroendocrine tumors. Because the correlation can only be from the comparison of preoperative DOTATATE and the tumors that were removed, it is a one time analysis. Subsequent DOTATATE studies are for surveillance and follow up for disease progression or recurrence.

    Time frame: During PET Scan, up to 2 hours annually

  4. The Number of Tumors Identified in Participants by the Radiation Detector During Radio-guided Surgery Using 68Gallium-DOTATATE

    Radio-guided surgery in neuroendocrine tumors using 68Gallium-DOTATATE was performed to detect tumors in the stomach and small bowel neuroendocrine tumors, pancreas, metastatic sites to lymph nodes and liver, and pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. The number of tumors identified by the radiation detector were assessed.

    Time frame: Radio-guided surgery, up to 2 hours

  5. Count of Participants With Serious and Non-serious Adverse Events Assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0)

    Here is the count of participants with serious and non-serious adverse events assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0). A non-serious adverse event is any untoward medical occurrence. A serious adverse event is an adverse event or suspected adverse reaction that results in death, a life threatening adverse drug experience, hospitalization, disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions, congenital anomaly/birth defect or important medical events that jeopardize the patient or subject and may require medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the previous outcomes mentioned.

    Time frame: Date treatment consent signed to date off study, approximately 50 months and 17 days.

07

Results

Posted Apr 2, 2019

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
Milestone68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Started341
Completed281
Not completed60
Withdrew: Withdrawal by subject52
Withdrew: Refuse treatment2
Withdrew: Lost to follow-up6

Outcome measures

PrimaryNumber of Lesions Detected Using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) Scan

Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) were scanned with the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) and the number of lesions detected are collected.

Time frame:
During PET Scan, up to 2 hours annually for up to 5 years
Reported as:
Number · Number of lesions
Number of Lesions Detected Using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) Scan
Number of lesions68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Number of Lesions Detected Using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET/Computed Tomography (CT)) Scan847
SecondaryMean Radiation Activity Between Low Grade and Intermediate Grade Neuroendocrine Tumor

The radioactivity was assessed using intraoperative radiation detector following the 68Gallium-DOTATATE injection. Low grade neuroendocrine tumors is defined as tumors with slow cell division determined in histology. Low grade tumors is associated with the best outcome. Intermediate grade tumor is defined as the tumor with medium (3-20%) rate of actively dividing cells and is associated with less favorably outcome.

Time frame:
During radioguided surgery, up to 2 hours
Reported as:
Mean · 511KeV count per ten seconds
Mean Radiation Activity Between Low Grade and Intermediate Grade Neuroendocrine Tumor
511KeV count per ten seconds68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Low grade504.9 ± 534
Intermediate grade205 ± 147
SecondaryTumor Volume of Neuroendocrine Tumors Assessed by the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan

Participants were scanned using the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan. Tumor volume more than 7ml is associated with shorter time to disease progression. Tumor volume more than 36 ml is associated with shorter disease specific survival.

Time frame:
During radioguided surgery, up to 2 hours
Reported as:
Median · ml
Tumor Volume of Neuroendocrine Tumors Assessed by the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan
ml68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Tumor Volume of Neuroendocrine Tumors Assessed by the 68Gallium-DOTATATE Scan9.24 (0.06 to 1136.7)
SecondaryMedian Radioactivity of Tumors With High Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2 Compared to Tumors With Intermediate Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2

High expression of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) is based on the intensity grading on immunohistochemistry. High SSTR2 expression may be associated with well-differentiated tumor and high avidity on DOTATATE scan, compared to intermediate or low expression of SSTR that can be seen in poorly differentiated and often aggressive neuroendocrine tumors. Because the correlation can only be from the comparison of preoperative DOTATATE and the tumors that were removed, it is a one time analysis. Subsequent DOTATATE studies are for surveillance and follow up for disease progression or recurrence.

Time frame:
During PET Scan, up to 2 hours annually
Reported as:
Median · Tumor to background ratio
Median Radioactivity of Tumors With High Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2 Compared to Tumors With Intermediate Expression of Somatostatin Receptor 2
Tumor to background ratio68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
High expression6.5 (3.4 to 14.9)
Low expression3.7 (3.5 to 6.3)
Statistical analysis
  • 68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging · Mann-Whitney · p = 0.23
SecondaryThe Number of Tumors Identified in Participants by the Radiation Detector During Radio-guided Surgery Using 68Gallium-DOTATATE

Radio-guided surgery in neuroendocrine tumors using 68Gallium-DOTATATE was performed to detect tumors in the stomach and small bowel neuroendocrine tumors, pancreas, metastatic sites to lymph nodes and liver, and pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. The number of tumors identified by the radiation detector were assessed.

Time frame:
Radio-guided surgery, up to 2 hours
Reported as:
Number · Number of tumors
The Number of Tumors Identified in Participants by the Radiation Detector During Radio-guided Surgery Using 68Gallium-DOTATATE
Number of tumors68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Stomach and small bowel23
Pancreas tumors24
Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma6
Liver metastasis9
Metastatic lymph nodes71
SecondaryCount of Participants With Serious and Non-serious Adverse Events Assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0)

Here is the count of participants with serious and non-serious adverse events assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0). A non-serious adverse event is any untoward medical occurrence. A serious adverse event is an adverse event or suspected adverse reaction that results in death, a life threatening adverse drug experience, hospitalization, disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions, congenital anomaly/birth defect or important medical events that jeopardize the patient or subject and may require medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the previous outcomes mentioned.

Time frame:
Date treatment consent signed to date off study, approximately 50 months and 17 days.
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Count of Participants With Serious and Non-serious Adverse Events Assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0)
Participants68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Count of Participants With Serious and Non-serious Adverse Events Assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria in Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.0)21

Adverse events

Collected over Date treatment consent signed to date off study, approximately 50 months and 17 days.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging16/341 (4.7%)20/341 (5.9%)1/341 (0.3%)
Most frequent serious events
Most frequent serious events
Event68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Death (unrelated to 68 Gallium DOTATATE)General disorders16/341
Thromboembolic eventVascular disorders3/341
HyperglycemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders1/341
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
Event68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Alteration of consciousnessNervous system disorders1/341

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
<=18 years1
Between 18 and 65 years238
>=65 years102
Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(years)68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Mean55.89 ± 14.43
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
Female194
Male147
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race/Ethnicity, Customized(Participants)68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
American Indian or Alaska Native1
Asian9
Black or African American24
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander1
Other7
Race Unknown9
White290
Hispanic or Latino17
Not Hispanic or Latino323
Ethnicity Unknown1
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(Participants)68Gallium DOTATATE Imaging
United States341
08

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Tsikitis VL, Wertheim BC, Guerrero MA. Trends of incidence and survival of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors in the United States: a seer analysis. J Cancer. 2012;3:292-302. doi: 10.7150/jca.4502. Epub 2012 Jul 1. PubMed 22773933 ↗
  • Lawrence B, Gustafsson BI, Chan A, Svejda B, Kidd M, Modlin IM. The epidemiology of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2011 Mar;40(1):1-18, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.ecl.2010.12.005. PubMed 21349409 ↗
  • Modlin IM, Lye KD, Kidd M. A 5-decade analysis of 13,715 carcinoid tumors. Cancer. 2003 Feb 15;97(4):934-59. doi: 10.1002/cncr.11105. PubMed 12569593 ↗

Study documents

  • Protocol, analysis plan and consent form · Oct 31, 2017

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 19, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01967537
Lead sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Responsible party
Naris Nilubol, M.D. (Principal Investigator, National Cancer Institute (NCI)) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 23, 2013
Start date
Oct 18, 2013
Primary completion
Dec 17, 2017
Completion
Mar 12, 2018
Results posted
Apr 2, 2019
Last update
Nov 19, 2019

Study contacts

Naris Nilubol, M.D.
principal investigator · National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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