Somatostatin analogs in treatment of non-growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas.
Besides well-known effects in GH-secreting adenomas, somatostatin analogs such as octreotide and lanreotide have been used in TSH-secreting adenomas and in the so-called clinically nonfunctioning adenomas. The rationale for their use is based on the evidence that both these tumor types express large amounts of somatostatin receptor subtypes 2 and 5, which are preferentially bound by octreotide and lanreotide. However, whether in TSH-secreting adenomas the results are excellent in the nonfunctioning type, the results are controversial. Some preliminary results showing a very rapid recovery of the visual field have not been confirmed subsequently. No evident effect of tumor shrinkage has been reported. At present, the use of somatostatin analogs in clinically nonfunctioning adenomas is questioned.
Department of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Oncology, Federico II University, Naples, Italy. colao@unina.it
Annamaria
A
Colao
Mariagiovanna
M
Filippella
Carolina
C
Di Somma
Simona
S
Manzi
Francesca
F
Rota
Rosario
R
Pivonello
Maria
M
Gaccione
Michele
M
De Rosa
Gaetano
G
Lombardi
D000236:Adenoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000378:metabolism
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013004:Somatostatin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone