Minerva endocrinologica
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Minerva endocrinologica · Dec 2001
Review[New therapeutic strategies in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours].
Neuroendocrine tumours are frequently malignant and have often reached an advanced stage by the time of diagnosis when they are inoperable, accompanied by severe symptoms, sometimes of an endocrine nature. Current therapeutic procedures include surgery, embolisation of hepatic metastases, local radiotherapy, biotherapy and chemotherapy. ⋯ A major step forward in analog treatment is represented by the development of slow-release formulas which do not require multiple daily injections and reduce the onset of resistance. The treatment of neuroendocrine tumours in the future will be based on the increased use of somatostatin analogs alone or in association with interferon or chemotherapy, and will also include surgery, radiometabolic therapy and targeted irradiation of the tumour.
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Minerva endocrinologica · Dec 2001
Review[Somatostatin analogues for the treatment of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours].
Somatostatin has represented a significant breakthrough in the treatment of patients with hormone-acting, neuroendocrine gastro-intestinal-pancreatic (NEGEP) neoplasms, even if its short half-life made it impractical in the clinical practice. Over the last recent years new long-acting formulations have been developed from the native peptide. ⋯ This formulation was conceived to provide patients with the convenience of a once-a-month or twice-a-month injection and to ensure a stable serum concentration between injections and good clinical control of NEGEP tumours symptoms. Nowadays, somatostatin long-acting analogues represent the first treatment option in those patients who doesn't underwent radical surgery; in addition, these substances present no important side effects, ameliorate the prognosis and can exert some degree of tumour growth control.
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Minerva endocrinologica · Dec 2001
[Efficacy of somatostatin analogs in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours and paraneoplastic syndromes].
The authors report their experience with octreotide LAR in the adjuvant treatment of 10 patients suffering from neuroendocrine tumours and paraneoplastic syndromes. ⋯ The authors' experience with octreotide LAR proved to be an efficacious means of controlling symptoms and stabilising disease without collateral effects. They conclude by affirming that octreotide LAR represents a valid therapeutic choice in the symptomatic treatment of neuroendocrine tumours.