[Treatment with octreotide (SMS 201-995) in a case of intestinal carcinoid tumor]

Over the past few years the usefulness of some somatostatin's analogues in the treatment of intestinal tract endocrine tumors has been demonstrated. Notwithstanding, the results obtained are variable. The case of a carcinoid tumor with a hepatic metastasis is presented and its clinical as well as its biochemical and its morphological results are evaluated after treatment with octreotide over a seven months period. It is important to highlight the great clinical improvement obtained at the beginning of treatment. Treatment was not effective in the control of tumor progression. After the injection of such a drug, a decrease in serotonin and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid serum levels was observed as well as a reduction in the urinary metabolite. It is concluded that octreotide is very useful for the symptomatic treatment of carcinoid syndrome.