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Review
. 2022 Dec 24;15(1):115.
doi: 10.3390/cancers15010115.

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

Pasqualino Malandrino  1 , Rossella Mazzilli  2 , Giulia Puliani  3   4 , Sergio Di Molfetta  5 , Gabriella Pugliese  6 , Soraya Olana  2 , Anna Maria Colao  6   7 , Antongiulio Faggiano  2 , On Behalf Of The Nike Group
Affiliations
Review

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

Pasqualino Malandrino et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

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.

Keywords: health-related quality of life; neuroendocrine neoplasm; peptide receptor radionuclide therapy; questionnaire; radioligand therapy; sexual function.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart showing the study selection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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