When and How to Use Somatostatin Analogues.

Long-acting depot formulations of the currently available somatostatin analogues are considered the first-line treatment for control of hormonal excess by hormone-producing neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. These drugs are currently also considered the first-line treatment for tumor control of both hormone-producing and non-hormone-producing neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. These drugs need coupling and interaction with specific somatostatin receptor subtypes, which are expressed on the cells of neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas.