Q4 2025

Dear NETRF Community,

For 20 years, progress in neuroendocrine cancer research has been driven by one powerful force: the belief that together, we can change what’s possible. The discoveries shared at our Margie & Robert E. Petersen Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Symposium in November, and expanded in our Research Year in Review, which highlights all active NETRF-funded projects in 2025, offer a glimpse of that progress and of the hope that drives our Research Roadmap forward.

In 2025, NETRF-funded researchers worldwide moved the needle in how we understand, image, and treat neuroendocrine tumors. From building brand-new patient-derived models and organoids to preparing first-in-human studies of next-generation PET imaging agents, our grantees are tackling the biggest barriers that still stand between neuroendocrine cancer patients and better outcomes.

As 2026 begins, we are excited to build on this momentum by launching our annual wide-net request for applications (RFA) early in the year, followed by a focused early-detection RFA that will push the field to find tumors sooner and improve how quickly patients receive the right care. We’ll also invest in the people behind the science through free educational webinars, including sessions on our RFA process and tips for applying, and a “Dynamic Delivery in Scientific Communication” webinar to help investigators share their work with clarity and impact (Save the Date! February 11, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET).

Your gift makes all of this work possible. As we look ahead, your support will help accelerate the next wave of discoveries to find neuroendocrine cancer earlier, treat it better, and, one day, cure it faster.

Join us in achieving Breakthroughs Today and Cures Tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Anna Greene, PhD
NETRF Chief Scientific Officer

by Pamela Kunz, MD

By Iacovos Michael, PhD 

The early results from a first-in-human clinical trial suggest that a novel copper-based PET imaging agent may deliver clearer and more comprehensive scans for people living with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

NETRF-funded scientists uncover how oxygen levels shape tumor behavior and expose new treatment opportunities for pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) can present in a variety of ways. Doctors have long known that certain genetic changes, like mutations in the ATRX or DAXX genes, are linked to worse outcomes. But many aggressive tumors don’t have those mutations, leaving doctors without clear warning signs.

Chimeric Therapeutics has reported that a neuroendocrine cancer patient in the Phase 1 clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy has experienced tumor shrinkage. In an update for investors on October 8, Chimeric reported that 8 patients have been treated so far, with two more awaiting treatment. 

At the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF), we are dedicated to transforming the future of neuroendocrine cancer care. As the world’s leading funder of neuroendocrine cancer research, our mission is clear: drive groundbreaking science, foster collaboration, and fuel the discovery of improved treatments and curative therapies that save lives.

NETRF CEO Elyse Gellerman, Chief Scientific Officer Anna Greene, and Director of Patient Education Jessica Thomas joined hundreds of neuroendocrine cancer specialists and patient advocates at the annual meeting of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) in Austin,Texas in October.  

The Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF) in partnership with NETRF is proud to announce Dr. Carolin Kitzberger of TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar as the 2025 recipient of the Nuclear Medicine Pilot Research Grant in Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs). 

The Annual NANETS Multi-Disciplinary Symposium 2025 was a remarkably rich program, with several studies that clearly demonstrated scientific novelty and carry immense potential to influence clinical practice. Here are some key abstracts that stood out.

Congratulations to Dawn Quelle, PhD, NETRF Board of Scientific Advisors co-chair, and the team at the University of Iowa Health, for winning a $10.7 million Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute. This prestigious award will support the study of new, targeted therapies for neuroendocrine tumors.

Neuroendocrine cancers, such as neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), are rare and complex. That makes every patient sample incredibly valuable, whether it’s a biopsy, tissue from surgery, or a tube of blood. 

Early clinical trial results show that AlphaMedix™ (212Pb-DOTAMTATE), an investigational targeted alpha therapy, achieved all of its main goals and produced clinically meaningful benefits for adults with advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). 

A major new study provides a comprehensive update on the state of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), which include well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), in the United States.  Analyzing over 145,000 cases across decades, this study represents the most complete picture yet of how NENs are impacting Americans today.

We’re excited to share insights from a new ENETS (European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society) position statement, published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology, addressing a complex and important topic: the treatment of Grade 3 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NET G3) of the gastroenteropancreatic tract.

Endocrine-Related Cancer is a peer-reviewed journal publishing basic laboratory, translational and clinical investigations of human health and disease focusing on endocrine neoplasias and hormone-dependent cancers, and review articles in these areas. Endocrine-Related Cancer is an official journal of the Society for Endocrinology and is endorsed by the Endocrine Society of Australia, the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society and the Japanese Hormone and Cancer Society.

Endocrine Oncology is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal publishing basic, translational and clinical research and reviews on the interplay between hormones and cancer, and related topics. With Bioscientifica sponsoring the Article Publishing Charge during the launch phase, authors can publish for free for a limited time.

NET Research Foundation
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(617) 946-1780 info@netrf.org

The mission of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is to fund research to discover cures and more effective treatments for neuroendocrine cancer. NETRF is the largest global funder of neuroendocrine cancer research and a preeminent resource for expert patient education and support.



NETRF is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.