A phase III evaluation of a somatostatin analogue (octreotide) in the treatment of patients with asymptomatic advanced colon carcinoma

✍ Scribed by David L. Morris

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 71 KB
• Volume: 77
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19960501)77:9<1956::aid-cncr28>3.0.co;2-y

✦ Synopsis

I of a Somatostatin Analogue (Octreotide) in the Treatment of Patients with Asymptomatic Advanced Colon Cancer."'

The disappointing results of this study contrast with recently reported cellular kinetic data for rectal cancer treatment with somatostatin. It should be noted that the dosage used in our study2 was much higher and that rectal cancer may well be more susceptible to somatostain treatment because of a higher neuroendocrine cell content. However, a recent study from Italy by Cascinu et al.3 reported a significant survival advantage in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer treated with octreotide at a dosage of 200 pg three times a day, which is only slightly higher than the dosage used in the study by Goldberg et al.

Although Cascinu et al. treated patients with stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer, there were survival advantages seen in all three groups. I cannot see any real explanation for this difference and would value the authors' comments.