Treatment of neuroendocrine tumors with somatostatin analogs

Neuroendocrine tumors constitute a group of hormone producing tumors originating from neuroendocrine cells in different organs. Most tumors have a low proliferation index measured by Ki67 and the progression of the tumor is slow. However, many patients suffer from endocrine symptoms induced by the hormones produced and released by the tumor cells. For some patients these symptoms can be life- threatening as in midgut carcinoid patients suffering from carcinoid crises with extensive flushes and hypotension or in patients with severe diarrhea induced by tumors producing vasointestinal polypeptide. In many other patients the hormone-induced symptoms interfere with the ability to carry out ordinary daily activities. The introduction of somatostatin analogs in the treatment of these hormone related symptoms has made it possible to control most of them and has added significantly to the quality of life for this group of patients. Unfortunately, the clinical inhibitory effect on tumor growth has not been very good with only 5-10% of the patients showing an objective response. However, stabilization of tumor growth may be achieved in a significant number of patients. In the future, the hope is that development of new somatostatin analogs with broader receptor-binding profiles will give us new analogs which are more efficient with regard to their antiproliferative effect. This possibility will be studied in future trials.