At the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF), we support research that can move the field forward, not only by advancing new treatments, but also by creating better tools to study neuroendocrine cancer.
A new NETRF-funded study, now published in Endocrine-Related Cancer, does exactly that. Researchers showed, for the first time, that patient-derived tumor samples from well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can be successfully established in an avian model, using duck eggs, while preserving key features of the original tumor.
What This New Model Offers
NETs can be difficult to study in the lab, especially well-differentiated tumors, which often grow slowly and do not behave like many other cancers. That makes it hard for researchers to test therapies and understand why some tumors respond differently than others.
This new model offers a promising way to study real patient tumors in a living system, while preserving many of the biological traits that make each tumor unique.
What the Researchers Discovered
The team implanted fresh tumor samples from patients with NETs onto the chorioallantoic membrane, a highly vascular membrane inside the egg that can support human tumor tissue for short-term study.
The study included samples from:
- Small intestine NETs
- Pancreatic NETs
- Lymph node and liver metastases
The researchers found that this approach worked remarkably well.
More than 80% of fresh patient tumor samples were successfully established in the model. More importantly, the tumors retained many of the features that matter most, something that is not guaranteed when patient tumor tissue is moved into a research model.
The implanted tumors:
- Preserved their neuroendocrine identity
- Maintained tumor architecture and grade
- Retained SSTR2 (somatostatin receptor 2) expression, an important target for NET imaging and treatment
- Developed a functional blood supply within the model
One particularly important finding was that the tumors remained alive and continued to resemble the original patient tissue, even if they did not dramatically increase in size during the study period. For slow-growing NETs, that is an important strength, not a weakness.
As senior authors, Iacovos Michael, PhD, and Hon Leong, PhD, said:
“We have developed a faithful model of NET disease by transplanting fresh patient tumor specimens into a novel host. We show that the cells within the original tumor tissue remain intact and alive for 10 days. Clinically, this means that we can use patient-derived fresh tumors on an individual basis for drug testing in the future.”
The Role of SSTR2 Expression
One of the most clinically relevant findings was that the tumors retained SSTR2 expression patterns that matched the original patient samples.
This is important because SSTR2 plays a central role in how many NETs are imaged and treated, including with somatostatin analogs and radioligand therapies such as PRRT.
That means this model could be especially useful for studying why some tumors respond well to these therapies and others do not.
Future Possibilities
This model is not yet a clinical tool, and it is not something doctors are using today to guide patient treatment. But it could become a valuable research platform for:
- Testing new therapies
- Studying treatment response
- Understanding resistance
- Improving precision approaches for NETs
It may also be particularly useful for studying tumor blood flow, drug delivery, and antiangiogenic therapies, thanks to the model’s built-in vascular system.
The Importance of NETRF Funding
This study was supported by a NETRF Pilot Award, which helps researchers test bold, early-stage ideas that could reshape the field.
Projects like this are a powerful example of why basic research funding matters. Before a new therapy can be tested, researchers need better ways to model the disease itself.
Looking Ahead
This new avian model will not replace every existing NET model. But it gives scientists a promising new way to study real patient tumors in a living system, and that could help accelerate discovery in the years ahead.
At NETRF, we are proud to support research that expands what is possible in neuroendocrine cancer science and brings us closer to better options for patients and families.
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Read about other recent grants funded by NETRF.