Case report: octreotide as an adjunct to embolisation in the management of recurrent bleeding upper gastrointestinal metastases from primary renal cell cancer

Abstract

The recommended treatment for patients with severe bleeding from upper gastrointestinal (GI) metastases is embolisation. We report a case in which despite adequate embolisation major haemorrhage from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) gastric metastases continually recurred. During a severe bleed refractory to embolisation octreotide was used to control and prevent further bleeding. No further episodes of severe haemorrhage occurred over the following 23 months since starting treatment. Octreotide has been observed to be effective both in the acute management of persistent haemorrhage and in prevention of subsequent haematemesis from GI metastatic RCC.