Does Octreotide work?
Yes, in controlled trials, including one of 85 patients.
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
The PROMID trial tested whether octreotide does more than control symptoms. It randomized 85 patients with well-differentiated metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors. They got the long-acting depot form or placebo. Median time to tumor progression was 14.3 months on octreotide and 6 months on placebo. The hazard ratio was 0.34. The benefit held for both functioning and non-functioning tumors. After six months, 66.7% of octreotide patients had stable disease. On placebo, 37.2% did. The interim analysis counted only 16 deaths (7 against 9). That is too few for a firm survival comparison. 1
In acromegaly, the label reports that octreotide lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 in most patients. It normalizes IGF-1 in a substantial share. Headaches, sweating and joint symptoms ease. In carcinoid syndrome and VIPoma, the label sums up controlled and open studies. They show marked drops in daily flushing episodes and stool frequency. 2
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial PROMID placebo-controlled; label trials
- Human study over 100 people PROMID enrolled 85 patients
- More than one research group Four decades of trials and registries
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Time to tumor progression doubled
- Human safety data beyond case reports Decades of use; gallstone and glucose effects
More on Octreotide
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
Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Octreotide article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.