Efficacy and tolerability of long-acting octreotide in the treatment of thymic tumors: results of a pilot trial.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

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: Flavia Longo, Lucilla De Filippis, Andrea Zivi, Domenico Vitolo, Ester Del Signore, Bruno Gori, Daniele Diso, Marco Anile, Federico Venuta, Tiziano De Giacomo, Camillo Furio Coloni
• Journal: American journal of clinical oncology (Am J Clin Oncol) Vol. 35 Issue 2 Pg. 105-9 (Apr 2012) ISSN: 1537-453X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21325939 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
• Delayed-Action Preparations
• Indium Radioisotopes
• Somatostatin
• pentetreotide
• Octreotide

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma (drug therapy)
• Delayed-Action Preparations
• Disease-Free Survival
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Female
• Humans
• Indium Radioisotopes
• Injections, Intramuscular
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, mortality)
• Neoplasm, Residual (drug therapy)
• Octreotide (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Pilot Projects
• Positron-Emission Tomography
• Research Design
• Retrospective Studies
• Sample Size
• Somatostatin (analogs & derivatives)
• Thymus Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, mortality)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome