title: Efficacy and tolerability of long-acting octreotide in the treatment of thymic tumors: results of a pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Octreotide is a somatostatin analog, long-acting formulations of which have been used experimentally for the treatment of patients with invasive tumors and/or residual disease after conventional therapies. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of long-acting octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) for the treatment of thymic tumors, with a primary efficacy end point of progression-free survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1994 and 2010, 44 patients with thymic malignancies were evaluated. Twenty-seven patients underwent an OctreoScan, and 12 OctreoScan-positive patients were treated with long-acting octreotide at a dose of 20 mg, given as an intramuscular injection, every 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with long-acting octreotide gave the following results: 3 cases of partial response (25%), 5 cases of stable disease (42%), and 4 cases of progressive disease (33%), with an average progression-free survival of 8 months (range, 3 to 21). Treatment compliance and tolerability were good for all evaluated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study confirm the somatostatin receptor as a valid target for the treatment of thymic malignancies. Overall, therapy with long-acting somatostatin analogs seems to be safe and effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, University "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy. flavia.longo@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Filippis
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zivi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vitolo
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Del Signore
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diso
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anile
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venuta
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Giacomo
authors.forename: Camillo Furio
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Coloni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000188:drug therapy; D015282:Octreotide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018401:Sample Size; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D013004:Somatostatin; C081788:pentetreotide; D015282:Octreotide