Open AccessRole of high dose octreotide LAR for the treatment of GEP-NETs
Author(s) -
Gian Gabriele Franchi,
Chiara Cappelletti,
Valentina Villa,
Emanuele Bosi,
M. Manzoni
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical management issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2283-3137
pISSN - 1973-4832
DOI - 10.7175/cmi.v3i1.555
Subject(s) - medicine , neuroendocrine tumors , octreotide , somatostatin , incidence (geometry) , somatostatin receptor , gastroenterology , somatostatin analogue , oncology , physics , optics
Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of rare neoplasms that account for 0,5% of all malignancies. The increased incidence observed in the last few decades may be accounted for by increased awareness, improved diagnostic tools and a revision in the definition. The main primary sites are the gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) tract (62-67%), and the lung (22-27%). In patients with GEP-NETs, the strongest predictor of 5-years survival is the staging. An adequate clinical management of GEP-NETs should be multidisciplinary and should aim at assuring a good quality of life. Somatostatin (sst) analogues are widely used in these tumours, which often express sst receptors, since they are demonstrated to reduce clinical symptoms and tumour growth. Herein we explore the usefulness of doubling octreotide LAR dose in selected patients after escaping from symptoms control and/or tumour stabilization in course of treatment with standard dose