Octreotide
Somatostatin analog
Also Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR, Mycapssa, Bynfezia, Octreotide acetate, SMS 201-995
- Evidence
- AStrong human evidence
- FDA status
- FDA approvedas of 2026-10-26
- Route
- Injection
- Studies cited
- 1 human0 animal or cell
It is an injection for a hormone illness called acromegaly and for tumors that cause flushing and diarrhea. Trials, including one of 85 patients, show it lowers hormones and slows tumor growth.
Sold for
Octreotide is a workhorse hospital drug for hormone-secreting tumors and acromegaly, not a wellness peptide.
Studies say
Controlled trials show octreotide lowers growth hormone in acromegaly, controls carcinoid symptoms, and slows the growth of midgut neuroendocrine tumors, supporting an A grade for its approved uses.
Why grade A. Octreotide has nearly four decades of use and multiple controlled trials in acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors behind its label. The trial cited here, PROMID, randomized 85 patients with midgut neuroendocrine tumors and showed a large delay in tumor progression. The label itself documents the symptom-control trials in acromegaly and carcinoid syndrome. 12
FDA. Approved. Octreotide is sold as Sandostatin injection for acromegaly, for the flushing and diarrhea of metastatic carcinoid tumors, and for the watery diarrhea of VIP-secreting tumors. Long-acting depot and oral formulations have followed the original 1988 approval. 2
Written from 2 cited sources. Fact-checked 2026-10-27: 15 claims checked, 2 corrected. Last refreshed 2026-10-27. Not physician reviewed.
What this means for you
- What people take it for
- Acromegaly and hormone-making tumors
- Can a US doctor prescribe it?
- Yes, FDA approved for acromegaly and symptoms of certain hormone-making tumors.
- Properly tested in people?
- Yes, in controlled trials, including one of 85 patients.
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial PROMID placebo-controlled; label trialsyes
- Human study over 100 people PROMID enrolled 85 patientsno
- More than one research group Four decades of trials and registriesyes
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Time to tumor progression doubledyes
- Human safety data beyond case reports Decades of use; gallstone and glucose effectsyes
Drawn from the cited studies below. A dash means the sources give no information.
What it is
Octreotide is a synthetic eight-amino-acid analog of somatostatin, the body's general-purpose brake on hormone release. Natural somatostatin lasts only a couple of minutes in the blood; octreotide was engineered in the 1980s to survive for hours, which made it practical as a drug. Novartis sells it as Sandostatin. 2
Its approved uses are acromegaly, where a pituitary tumor produces too much growth hormone; metastatic carcinoid tumors, where the flushing and diarrhea come from hormone release; and VIPomas, rare pancreatic tumors that cause severe watery diarrhea. Off label it is widely used for other hormone-secreting tumors, for bleeding varices and for some kinds of chemotherapy-related diarrhea. 12
How it works
Somatostatin receptors sit on the surface of pituitary cells, gut endocrine cells and many neuroendocrine tumor cells. Octreotide binds mainly receptor subtypes 2 and 5. Binding suppresses hormone secretion, which is why it lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 in acromegaly and shuts off the serotonin and peptide release behind carcinoid symptoms. In tumor cells the same receptors also feed into pathways that slow cell division, which is the basis for its antiproliferative effect. 12
What human research shows
The PROMID trial tested whether octreotide does more than control symptoms. It randomized 85 patients with well-differentiated metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors to the long-acting depot form or placebo. Median time to tumor progression was 14.3 months on octreotide versus 6 months on placebo, a hazard ratio of 0.34, and the benefit held for both functioning and non-functioning tumors. After six months, 66.7% of octreotide patients had stable disease versus 37.2% on placebo. The interim analysis counted only 16 deaths (7 versus 9), too few for a conclusive survival comparison. 1
In acromegaly, the label reports that octreotide lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 in a majority of patients and normalizes IGF-1 in a substantial fraction, with relief of headaches, sweating and joint symptoms. In carcinoid syndrome and VIPoma, controlled and open studies summarized in the label show marked reductions in daily flushing episodes and stool frequency. 2
| Study | Model | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| PROMID (Rinke 2009) | Humans, n=85 with metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled | Long-acting octreotide more than doubled median time to tumor progression (14.3 vs 6 months, hazard ratio 0.34). 1 |
| Sandostatin prescribing information | FDA label summarizing trials in acromegaly, carcinoid syndrome and VIPoma | Documents reductions in growth hormone and IGF-1 in acromegaly and in flushing and diarrhea episodes in hormone-secreting tumors. 2 |
Safety
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, abdominal cramps, loose stools, bloating and fat malabsorption, especially early in treatment. Gallstones or biliary sludge develop in a large fraction of patients on long-term treatment because octreotide slows gallbladder emptying. Octreotide affects insulin and glucagon release, so blood sugar can go either way, and it can slow the heart rate. Thyroid function and vitamin B12 levels may fall with prolonged use. Injection site pain is common with the depot form. 2
In PROMID, adverse events were reported at similar rates in both arms, with gastrointestinal complaints and fatigue most frequent. Hematologic effects were rare. 1
Questions for your clinician
- Should I have gallbladder imaging while on long-term octreotide?
- Is octreotide or lanreotide a better fit for my tumor?
- How will my blood sugar and thyroid be checked?
Questions people ask
Does octreotide shrink tumors?
It mostly stabilizes them. PROMID showed a large delay in progression in midgut neuroendocrine tumors, but actual tumor shrinkage was uncommon in either arm. In acromegaly, pituitary tumors shrink modestly in some patients. 12
Why does octreotide cause gallstones?
Somatostatin receptors on the gallbladder slow its contraction, so bile sits longer and crystallizes. Gallstones or sludge appear in a large share of long-term users, though most cause no symptoms. The label advises periodic ultrasound monitoring. 2
What is the difference between octreotide and lanreotide?
Both are somatostatin analogs with similar receptor profiles and the same core indications. Lanreotide comes as a deep subcutaneous depot given monthly; octreotide comes as a short-acting injection, a monthly intramuscular depot and an oral capsule. 2
Is octreotide used for weight loss or anti-aging?
No. It suppresses growth hormone, which is the opposite of what the anti-aging peptide market usually wants, and its metabolic effects on blood sugar and digestion make it unsuitable as a general-purpose supplement. Its use is in hormone-secreting tumors and acromegaly. 2
Citations
- Rinke 2009, J Clin Oncol: placebo-controlled trial of octreotide LAR in metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors (PROMID) doi.org
- Novartis: Sandostatin (octreotide acetate) injection prescribing information novartis.com