title: Lanreotide autogel every 6 weeks compared with Lanreotide microparticles every 3 weeks in patients with well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors: a Phase III Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The noninferiority of a 6-week dosing schedule of lanreotide Autogel (Lan ATG) at a dose of 120 mg compared with a 3-week dosing schedule of lanreotide microparticles (Lan MP) at a dose of 60 mg was investigated in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had sporadic, well differentiated NET with a low grade of malignancy were recruited for this open-label, Phase III, multicenter trial. Patients were randomized to receive either 3 deep subcutaneous injections of Lan ATG (120 mg, every 6 weeks) or 6 intramuscular injections of Lan MP (60 mg, every 3 weeks). Tumor markers, tumor size, and symptoms were assessed between baseline and Week 18. Success was classified as a response that ranged from disappearance to an increase <25% in tumor marker, tumor size, or symptom frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients were randomized, and 46 patients completed the study. Both for tumor markers and for tumor size, Lan ATG was not inferior to Lan MP (55% and 59% of patients responded on tumor markers, respectively; 68% and 66% of patients responded on tumor size, respectively). There were too few symptomatic patients to compare carcinoid symptoms. Both treatments were tolerated well, and no safety concerns were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lan ATG at a dose of 120 mg every 6 weeks was as effective for controlling NET as Lan MP at a dose of 60 mg every 3 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS "Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori", Milan, Italy. emilio.bajetta@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bajetta
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Procopio
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinetti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Dosso
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Alberto S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lecchi
authors.forename: Paolo F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Boscani
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iacobelli
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carteni
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Braud
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loli
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tartaglia
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bajetta
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C060347:lanreotide; D013004:Somatostatin