Q2 2026

Dear NETRF Community,

One of the hardest stories we hear begins long before a neuroendocrine cancer diagnosis.

It begins with vague, intermittent symptoms. A patient who knows something is wrong but can’t get an answer. Months pass. Sometimes years. And when the diagnosis finally comes, too often the disease has already advanced.

Those are missed windows: moments when better tools, clearer signals, or earlier suspicion might have changed the path. For NETRF, they are a call to action.

This quarter, we took a major step by launching our first targeted research funding opportunity focused specifically on early detection, a central priority in our Research Roadmap. Advances in imaging, biomarkers, AI, and risk prediction are converging in ways that could change what is possible. The question is how to direct those tools toward the right problems, with the urgency patients deserve.

To understand why this is so important, read more about why it takes so long to diagnose neuroendocrine tumors.

With your support, we can invest in the science needed to reduce missed windows, bringing patients closer to earlier answers and better paths forward.

With gratitude,

Anna Greene, PhD
NETRF Chief Scientific Officer

Tijana Jovanovic-Talisman, PhD, a 2025 NETRF Pilot Award grantee, was already researching neuroendocrine cancer when the disease hit home. Now she's devoting her efforts to uncover better early detection tools for neuroendocrine cancer.

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Scientists are discovering that where a tumor grows in the body may influence how it behaves. A new study, supported in part by NETRF, provides important insights into how small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) develop and spread.

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A new, NETRF-funded study 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.

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Two recent NETRF-funded studies are offering new insight into how neuroendocrine tumors grow, spread, and respond to treatment.

One study suggests a new treatment strategy for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). The other examines why some pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) behave more aggressively than others.

Read more

Carrie Camino, left, and Anna Greene, NETRF Chief Scientific Officer, with Carrie’s poster: “Thriving in the Grey: A Patient Needs Model to Balance Science and Reality.”

Patient and NETRF Board member Carrie Camino shares her experience attending  the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) as part of the Scientist↔Survivor Program 2026. She was one of 42 patient advocates selected to attend a series of cancer research lectures led by leading-edge researchers to educate and inspire action in support of cancer patients. 

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More than 1,100 patients and caregivers from across the United States and internationally participated in NETRF’s 2026 Annual Patient and Caregiver Survey, sharing their experiences, concerns, and priorities.

These insights are playing an important role in shaping this year’s virtual Know Your NETs Patient and Caregiver Conference, which will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

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Through the 2026 Know Your NETs survey, patients and caregivers told us what they most want to understand about neuroendocrine cancer: why diagnosis still takes so long, what new treatments 

are coming, what happens after PRRT, why some NET subtypes receive less research attention, what genetics can and cannot explain, why a cure has not yet been found, and how people can live well with this disease. The questions were practical, urgent, and deeply informed by lived experience. Read more

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) can be difficult to detect, and many patients face long delays before receiving an accurate diagnosis. In many cases, NENs are not found until they have advanced or spread. Detecting NENs earlier could change that trajectory. When disease is found sooner, surgery may offer the best chance for long-term control and, in some cases, a cure. Read more

From left: CSO Anna Greene, PhD, and CEO Elyse Gellerman of NETRF attended the 2026 ENETS meeting in Krakow, Poland.

More than one thousand neuroendocrine cancer researchers, physicians, and patient advocates from over 50 countries gathered this spring in Krakow, Poland, for the 23rd Annual Conference of the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS). Numerous NETRF grantees presented their work at this meeting, underscoring the organization’s central role in advancing innovative research in the field. CEO Elyse Gellerman and Chief Scientific Officer Anna Greene, PhD, represented NETRF, meeting with investigators and highlighting the importance of sustained investment in scientific discovery to improve outcomes for patients with neuroendocrine cancers.
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The American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, known as AACR, is one of the largest and most important cancer research meetings in the world. This year’s meeting was held April 17–22, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. More than 23,000 researchers, clinicians, health care professionals, survivors, patients, advocates, and industry leaders from 74 countries and territories came together to share the latest advances in cancer science and medicine.
Read more

A new, dedicated page on our website offers tools, guidelines and NETRF community opportunities to help you navigate the grant application process and support your ongoing research. 
Explore Researcher Resources

Research into neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) continues to progress, with clinical trials exploring both new treatment approaches and improvements to existing therapies. Recent updates highlight progress in targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies, regulatory developments that could expand treatment access, and early-stage studies investigating innovative immune-based treatments. In this roundup, we highlight several studies and policy milestones that reflect the expanding landscape of neuroendocrine cancer research and represent important steps toward improving care for those living with the disease. Read more

A new multi-institutional study provides one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of what life is like for people living with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The research, conducted through the NET-PRO cohort and recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, analyzes the experiences of more than 2,300 patients across the United States. The study also includes contributions from NETRF CEO Elyse Gellerman, MHS, alongside a broad, multi-institutional research team. Read more

We are delighted to invite applications for the role of Deputy Editor of Endocrine-Related Cancer, a leading, society-owned journal dedicated to advancing research in endocrine-related oncology.

Working closely with our Editor-in-Chief (Prof. Karel Pacak), the Deputy Editor will play a pivotal role in shaping the journal’s strategic direction, maintaining editorial excellence, and supporting a global research community.

We welcome applications from all areas of endocrine-related cancer research. Whether you are an established senior editor or looking to take the next step from an Associate Editor position, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

NET Research Foundation
100 Hancock Street
Third Floor
Quincy, MA 02171
(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.