Somatuline Depot (lanreotide acetate) for carciniod syndrome – pro
Somatuline Depot (lanreotide acetate) is an injectable, sustained-release formulation of lanreotide, an octapeptide somatostatin analog that inhibits Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH).
Somatuline is specifically indicated for the long-term treatment of acromegalic patients who have had an inadequate response to surgery and/or radiotherapy, or for whom surgery and/or radiotherapy is not an option. However, in Europe it is also approved for carcinoid syndrome.
Unfortunately, about 15% of carcinoid patients cannot tolerate Sandostatin or cannot receive IM injections and it will not help them. Subcutaneous monthly (there is also an IM formulation fore very 1-14 day injection) Somatuline would appear to be a resonable option for such patients. In the USA, it is still in a study NCT00774930: An Efficacy and Safety Study of Somatuline Depot (Lanreotide) Injection to Treat Carcinoid Syndrome. Two open multicentre studies in small groups of adult patients (n = 39, n = 18) have been conducted with lanreotide LA for the management of carcinoid syndrome; one is published in full and the other as an abstract report. In both of these studies lanreotide LA significantly reduced the symptoms of flushing and diarrhoea.
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