Octreotide shows promise for metastatic neuroendocrine small bowel tumors

Octreotide LAR (Sandostatin LAR, Novartis)slows metastatic neuroendocrine small bowel tumor development.

These rare tumors are %50 malignant (malignant). Many spread, when no medical treatment helps. Only pancreatic tumors have been observed to respond to chemotherapy.

Malignant (malignant) tumors are half carcinoid. Approximately %20 of small bowel carcinoids spread distantly, with 5-year survival approximately %27 among those metastatic at diagnosis.

Octreotide LAR, used to control gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine symptoms, is a somatostatin analogue suppressing growth hormone release and tumor development. Earlier studies examined antiproliferative effects of long-acting analogues to control well-differentiated metastatic NETs, without clear conclusions.

The latest study examined its effects in greater detail. Between July 2001 and January 2008, 85 patients with small bowel NETs participated, measuring time to progression. Treatment continued until CT (computed tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) detected tumor development.

It more than doubled time to progression and inhibited growth in patients without aggressive liver metastases. Progression occurred after 14 months with octreotide versus 6 without. Its key effect is stabilization: among 42 recipients, 28 remained stable, compared with 43 nonrecipients in whom 16 did. Progression was lower, and Octreotide LAR reduced tumor growth risk by %67.

At the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, public findings confirmed slowing of metastatic neuroendocrine small bowel tumors.

These findings showed substantial effectiveness in metastatic small bowel NETs. It slowed growth and prolonged overall survival in metastatic small bowel NETs without aggressive liver metastases. Nearly all nonrecipients received it after progression, but it provided no overall survival benefit in patients without aggressive liver metastases.

Data support standard use in well-differentiated metastatic small bowel NETs. With chemotherapy limited after spread, octreotide's positive effects make it an option illuminating tumor-inhibiting approaches.

Related Topic:

- Neuroendocrine Tumor Symptoms, Stages and Treatment