The role of somatostatin analogues in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours

Neuroendocrine tumours belong to a heterogeneous family of neoplasms, originating in endocrine glands (such as the pituitary, parathyroid or the neuroendocrine adrenal glands), in endocrine islets (within the thyroid or pancreas) as well as in endocrine cells dispersed between exocrine cells throughout the digestive or respiratory tracts. The clinical behaviour of neuroendocrine tumours is variable; they may be functioning or not functioning, ranging from well-differentiated slow growing neuroendocrine tumours to poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumours, which are highly aggressive malignant tumours. The development of somatostatin analogues as important diagnostic and treatment tools have revolutionised the clinical management of patients with neuroendocrine tumours. However, although symptomatic relief and stabilisation of tumour growth for various periods of time are observed in many patients treated with somatostatin analogues, tumour regression is rare. Development of new somatostatin analogues and new drug combination therapies should further improve the clinical management of these patients.