Aims and background: The somatostatin analog octreotide has an antiproliferative effect on small cell lung cancer lines in vitro and in experimental xenograft transplantation systems in vivo. Thus it is worth investigating octreotide activity in the clinical setting.
Methods: We studied the effect of octreotide (200 micrograms three times a day subcutaneously for seven days) on serum levels of the tumor marker neuroenolase in 13 patients with small cell lung cancer.
Results: A decrease in neuroenolase levels was observed at day 7 during octreotide treatment, with a mean +/- SD of 32.6 +/- 42.0 ng/ml compared to basal values of 44.4 +/- 57.7 ng/ml and to washout values of 50.3 +/- 65.7 ng/ml (P < 0.03).
Conclusions: Our results indicate that octreotide is effective in reducing neuroenolase levels in small cell lung cancer patients. These data suggest a possible role for octreotide in the treatment of this kind of tumor.