[Drug therapy of endocrine neoplasms. Part II: Malignant gastrinomas, insulinomas, glucagonomas, carcinoids and other tumors].
BACKGROUND
The thyroid gland and the adrenal glands are the most common sites of endocrine carcinomas (see Part I of this review, Med Klin 2000;95: 20-5, Nr. 1). Less frequent are endocrine malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrinomas, insulinomas, glucagonomas, carcinoids and others).


METHODS
Because of the rarity and missing prospective studies as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance of these tumors, generally accepted conventional therapy guidelines for these endocrine carcinomas do not exist. Surgery and radionucleotide treatment should be considered as first line therapy. Somatostatin analogs (octreotide) are frequently used as well. Chemotherapy is usually not effective. Common substances are streptozotocin, 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, dacarbazine and cyclophosphamide.
Schott
M
M
Abteilung für Endokrinologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. schottmt@uni-duesseldorf.de
Scherbaum
W A
WA
Feldkamp
J
J
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015408:Gastrinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005935:Glucagonoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013004:Somatostatin; D015282:Octreotide