First-generation somatostatin receptor ligands and pregnancy: lesson from women with acromegaly

Oral Octreotide: A Review of Recent Clinical Trials and Practical Recommendations for Its Use in the Treatment of Patients With Acromegaly

OBJECTIVE

Acromegaly is characterized by chronic growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) hypersecretion, often caused by a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma. Surgery remains first line, but medical therapy is essential if surgery is contraindicated, does not achieve remission, or does not prevent recurrence despite apparent surgical remission. Oral octreotide capsules (OOC) that combine octreotide with a transient permeability enhancer technology are the first oral somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) approved in the US for acromegaly.

METHODS

We review the literature and clinical trial data of OOC for patients with acromegaly and discuss clinical assessment of OOC use, potential drug-drug interactions, drug initiation, dose titration, and monitoring of drug efficacy and tolerability.

RESULTS

Four pivotal clinical trials involving a total of 238 patients with acromegaly treated with OOC effective suppression of serum GH and IGF-I levels, maintenance of disease control, decreased breakthrough symptoms and symptomatic improvement with noninferiority of OOC to injectable SRLs (iSRLs) in maintaining biochemical response. Additionally, the safety profile of OOC is comparable to that of iSRLs. Most patients who completed the clinical trials of OOC have also expressed preference to oral compared to iSRL administration.

CONCLUSION

OOC is an effective treatment option for patients with acromegaly who previously responded to iSRLs, with the benefits of avoiding injection-related side effects. This article provides a review of the pharmacology, safety, and efficacy and offers practical recommendations on utilization of OOCs to treat iSRL-responsive patients with acromegaly.

First-generation somatostatin ligand receptor treatment in a pregnant patient with a neuroendocrine tumor with liver metastases

SUMMARY

This rare case describes the course of a pregnancy in a patient with a disseminated small intestinal neuroendocrine tumor. The patient received treatment with first-generation somatostatin ligand receptor (SLR) every 4 weeks and had stable disease for several years before her pregnancy. First-generation SLR treatment was initially paused after detection of the pregnancy. During pregnancy, the patient experienced moderate gastro-intestinal discomfort and fatigue, which was considered predominantly pregnancy related. However, since symptoms could be linked to the patient's cancer, treatment was resumed after the first trimester. Chromogranin-A measurements remained stable throughout pregnancy and was paralleled by the absence of diarrhea and only minor flushing. She gave birth by elective caesarean section in week 37 to a healthy baby. Subsequent follow up imaging immediately after and 10 months postpartum showed no disease progression. The safety profile of SLR treatment during pregnancy in the context of disseminated neuroendocrine tumors (NET) is discussed.

LEARNING POINTS

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) are rare cancers often occurring in the gastro-intestinal tract or lungs. Many patients with NEN live for several years with disseminated disease. SLR treatment has been given to pregnant patients before; often patients with acromegaly. Pregnancies are reported uneventful. This patient completed an uneventful pregnancy while receiving SLR treatment for disseminated neuroendocrine disease and gave birth to a healthy baby. More research regarding long term effects and safety signals of SLR treatment during pregnancy are much needed.