Therapy for symptoms in the carcinoid syndrome.
The clinical course and results of drug treatment for manifestations of the carcinoid syndrome are reviewed in 63 patients. The five-year actuarial survival in this group of patients was 48 per cent. The only markers of a poor prognosis that could be identified at diagnosis were marked weight loss and a high (over 1000 mumol/day) 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid excretion. The relative effectiveness of well-established drugs that either block 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis or block 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors is reported, with respect to the different manifestations of the syndrome, and compared with a small group of patients treated with long-acting somatostatin analogue. In over one-third of patients, primary tumours were not detected on initial investigation, and in none of these did symptoms referrable to the primary site become apparent later.
Coupe
M
M
Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medicine School, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
Levi
S
S
Ellis
M
M
Clarke
B
B
Morris
J A
JA
Alstead
E A
EA
Allison
D J
DJ
Hodgson
H J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006801:Humans; D008303:Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate
D012702:Serotonin Antagonists