Meningiomas and Somatostatin Analogs: A Systematic Scoping Review on Current Insights and Future Perspectives

Meningioma is the most frequent brain tumor, and the incidence is ever-increasing. Though often benign and slow growth, recurrence rates are substantial and today's surgical and radiation-based treatment are not without complications. No drugs specific for meningiomas are hitherto approved and patients with inoperable or recurrent meningioma are left with few treatment options. Somatostatin receptors are previously detected in meningiomas and may inhibit growth when stimulated by somatostatin. Hence, somatostatin analogs could provide a targeted drug therapy. The aim of this study was to compile the current insights of somatostatin analogs for patients with meningioma. This paper adheres to the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. A systematic search was conducted in the search databases PubMed, Embase via Ovid, and Web of Science. Seventeen papers adhered to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and critical appraisal was conducted. The overall quality of evidence is low, as none of the studies were randomized or controlled. Various efficacy of somatostatin analogs is reported, and adverse effects are sparse. Due to the beneficial effects reported by some studies, somatostatin analogs may offer a novel last-option treatment for severely ill-patients. Nonetheless, only a controlled study, preferably a randomized clinical trial, could clarify the efficacy of somatostatin analogs.