title: Octreotide long-acting repeatable for acromegaly.
abstract: Acromegaly remains a therapeutic challenge for the endocrinologist. Among the available therapeutic options, octreotide long-acting repeatable (Sandostatin(®) LAR(®), Novartis) plays a chief role, both as a primary therapy and as an adjuvant treatment after unsuccessful surgery. A plethora of papers and a meta-analysis have demonstrated its efficacy in: control of clinical picture; achievement of safe growth hormone and normal age-matched IGF-I levels (both factors associated with restoration of normal life expectancy) in 60-70% of patients; control of tumor volume (with real shrinkage in over half of cases); and halt or reversal of most acromegaly-associated comorbidities. Treatment is well tolerated in most patients and can be safely prolonged for many years if required.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Ospedale Niguarda, Via Canonica 81, I-20154 Milan, Italy. renatocozzi@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Attanasio
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D015282:Octreotide