Self-Administration of Long-Acting Somatostatin Analogues in NET Patients-Does It Affect the Clinical Outcome?

• Published in: Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Lithuania), 2021-11, Vol.57 (12), p.1287
• Main Authors: Sowa-Staszczak, Anna, Opalińska, Marta, Kurzyńska, Anna, Morawiec-Sławek, Karolina, Gilis-Januszewska, Aleksandra, Palen-Tytko, Joanna, Olearska, Helena, Hubalewska-Dydejczyk, Alicja
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Drug dosages; Humans; lanreotide; Neuroendocrine tumors; Neuroendocrine Tumors - drug therapy; Nurses; octreotide; Octreotide - administration & dosage; Pandemics; Patients; Peptides, Cyclic - administration & dosage; Self Administration; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Somatostatin - administration & dosage; Somatostatin - analogs & derivatives; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1648-9144; 1010-660X; 1648-9144
• DOI: 10.3390/medicina57121287

: Long-acting somatostatin analogues (SSA) (octreotide LAR and lanreotide Autogel) are recommended as first line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) with a good expression of somatostatin receptor (SSTR). Both of these SSAs are usually administered via injections repeated every 4 weeks. The purpose of the study was to compare the route of SSA administration (injection performed by professional medical staff and self-administration of the drug) with progression-free survival. : 88 patients in 2019 and 96 patients in 2020 with locally advanced or metastatic well-differentiated NETs were included in the study. All patients had a good expression of SSTR type 2 and had been treated for at least 3 months with a stable dose of long-acting somatostatin analogue every 4 weeks. All of them had received training on drug self-injections from professional NET nurses at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic. : The rate of NET progression in the study group in 2020 was higher than in 2019 29.1% vs. 18.1% (28 vs. 16 cases), = 0.081. : The method of administration of long-acting SSA injection performed by professional medical staff vs. self-injection of the drug may significantly affect the risk of NET progression. The unequivocal confirmation of such a relationship requires further observation.