Wednesday, January 08, 2020 The Commonwealth Neuroendocrine Tumour (CommNETs) Research Collaborative held their annual research workshop on December 7 & 8th 2019 in Tokyo Japan. Operating within the auspices of CCTG and AGITG (Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group) CommNETs provides a valuable forum for NET research collaboration among Canadian, Australian and New Zealand clinicians, researchers and patient representatives. A network of investigators comprised of endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians, surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and allied health professionals meet annually to develop and complete research projects that improve the outcomes of NET patients. Heading into this year’s workshop CommNETs had four existing clinical trials under development for review with topics ranging from hormone therapy dosing and duration to the potential uses of immunotherapy and radiotherapy in NETs with a focus on correlative science analyses. Two new trial concepts were presented at the 2019 workshop in addition to three other research projects for development. Outcomes of prior CommNETs research projects include: A Modified Delphi Process to Identify and Prioritize Gaps in NET Research, Follow-up Recommendations for Completely Resected Gastroenteropancreatic NETs, Availability and Utility of Functional Imaging and Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), An Integrative Review of the Barriers to Indigenous Peoples Participation in Biobanking and Genomic Research, and Consensus-Derived Quality Performance Indicators for NET Care. Recently completed CommNETs projects presented at the 2019 workshop were: CommNETs/NANETS Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Lung NETs, Financial Outcomes in People with NETs, and The Role of a Shared Care Model in the Management of NET Patients in the Community. Active projects including Neuroendocrine Neoplasms in the Paeds and AYA Population, PRRT and Quality of Life, Assessment of Hypopituitarism rates Following PRRT for NETs, Familial Endocrine Disorder Registry NZ, Understanding Treatment Preferences of NET Patients using Discrete Choice Experiments, and Determinants of Surgical Decision-Making were also discussed. Following the project workshop component, attendees took part in a series of strategic planning exercises to explore the role of CommNETs in the current NETs landscape, articulate vision, define success, and organize a three-year implementation plan. The CommNETs Executive Committee continued strategic planning efforts into a third day of the workshop to target financial sustainability and organizational design. Thank you to everyone involved in making this event a success, and special thanks to all CommNETs collaborators both within our CCTG membership and abroad for continuing to produce quality research addressing the unique needs of NET patients.
