The palliative effects of octreotide in cancer patients.
Octreotide is an extremely useful compound for palliative care physicians. It appears to be active in a number of different pain states and may be given by the spinal and intraventricular route. Its actions in reducing gut motility and secretions make it a valuable adjunct in the management of inoperable bowel obstruction. The same actions make it a potent antidiarrheal agent. Octreotide will often succeed where other antidiarrheal agents fail. Its ability to reduce gut secretions has led to its use in the treatment of fistulae. It has also been proposed as a useful drug in the management of cachexia and ascites. Most of the existing evidence is based on small numbers of case reports and further larger trials are necessary.
Dean
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Palliative Care Service, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia. andrew.dean@health.wa.gov.au
D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010166:Palliative Care
D000930:Antidiarrheals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D015282:Octreotide