Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Laparoscopy-endoscopy Cooperative Surgery for the Treatment of Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Published on: February 19, 2022
Somatostatin therapy for glomus tumors: a report of two cases
Abstract:
Glomus tumors of the head and neck are benign vascular lesions that often provide dilemmas in management. The presence of somatostatin receptors on the tumor cell surface has facilitated an additional imaging technique in the form of radiolabeled octreotide scanning. The use of the somatostatin analogue, octreotide, also provides a therapeutic option for inoperable or recurrent tumors. We present two patients, one with a surgically inaccessible tumor that recurred after primary radiotherapy and one who underwent incomplete resection because of the tumor's proximity to the internal carotid artery. Neither tumor has shown further growth 5 and 3 years after treatment with octreotide, respectively.
Insights
Octreotide scanning and therapy offer new options for managing difficult head and neck glomus tumors. This somatostatin analogue showed success in controlling tumor growth in two challenging patient cases.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Glomus tumors in the head and neck are benign vascular neoplasms presenting management challenges.
- These tumors express somatostatin receptors, enabling novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Observation:
- Two patients with complex head and neck glomus tumors were treated with octreotide.
- One patient had a recurrent tumor after radiotherapy, while the other had an unresectable tumor due to its location near the internal carotid artery.
Findings:
- Radiolabeled octreotide scanning was utilized for imaging.
- Octreotide therapy demonstrated efficacy in halting tumor progression in both patients, with no growth observed for 5 and 3 years post-treatment.
Implications:
- Octreotide represents a viable therapeutic option for inoperable or recurrent head and neck glomus tumors.
- This approach expands management possibilities for these challenging benign vascular lesions.
