Subcutaneous octreotide in the treatment of pain in advanced cancer patients.

Abstract

Octreotide is a synthetic somatostatin analogue that has been recently tested by various routes of administration as an analgesic drug for different types of pain. The authors evaluated the analgesic efficacy of a subcutaneous 200-ng bolus of octreotide on somatic and visceral pain from advanced cancer in a randomized, single-blind crossover study. The results in nine cases did not show an analgesic effect superior to that of a placebo. Pain relief was obtained in one case of postprandial visceral pain. This case is discussed in detail, and another possible clinical use for octreotide in a particular form of neoplastic pain is hypothesized.