Heat Shock Proteins in Gastrointestinal and Lung Neuroendocrine Neoplasm: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Perspectives

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a diverse group of rare but clinically important neoplasms with increasing incidence and high biological heterogeneity. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a key role in the cellular response to stress, participating in the maintenance of proteome homeostasis and in the regulation of tumorigenesis processes such as proliferation, migration, apoptosis and development of resistance to therapy. This review analyzes the importance of HSPs in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of neuroendocrine tumors, as potential prognostic markers and targets of molecularly targeted therapy. The possibility of using HSP activity modulation to increase the efficacy of treatment, especially in cases refractory to standard therapeutic regimens, is emphasized. Due to the increasing clinical importance of NETs and limited therapeutic options in advanced forms, further exploration of the role of HSPs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in this group of tumors is necessary.