Lanreotide in Metastatic Enteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

As compared with placebo, extended-release lanreotide (120 mg every 28 days) was associated with delayed disease progression in patients with nonfunctional, slowly progressing neuroendocrine tumors. Progression-free survival at 24 months was 65% with lanreotide and 33% with placebo. Neuroendocrine tumors are rare neoplasms, 1 , 2 with an annual incidence of 5 cases per 100,000 people in the United States. 1 More than 50% of cases involve tumors originating in the gastrointestinal system or pancreas, and patients commonly have distant metastases at diagnosis. 1 Since many of these patients have inoperable disease, medical therapy is often initiated to control disease progression. Treatment may also be required to relieve symptoms arising from the overproduction of amines or peptide hormones in functioning tumors. Few medical treatments for advanced neuroendocrine tumors have been approved on the basis of their antiproliferative effects (i.e., efficacy in inhibiting . . .