Somatostatin analogs in the treatment of acromegaly.
Medical therapy of acromegaly with the somatostatin analog octreotide is very successful. Both clinical symptomatology and hormonal hypersecretion by the growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas are controlled, and peripheral IGF-I levels also return to near normal levels. Tumor shrinkage is observed in most patients. Somatostatin analogs can be used after noncurative surgery and for a limited period after radiotherapy, and octreotide pretreatment might improve the outcome of surgery.
Department of Medicine, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
S W
SW
Lamberts
J C
JC
Reubi
E P
EP
Krenning
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015282:Octreotide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000502:physiology; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013004:Somatostatin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D015282:Octreotide