SOMATOSTATIN AND LARGE-BOWEL POLYPS

Background/Aims: Somatostatin, a polypeptide hormone, inhibits cellula r proliferation. of the mucosa. As this cellular proliferation has bee n observed in large bowel polyps and cancer, the exact pattern, of sec retion may be of importance to the understanding of such diseases. Mat erials and Methods: The circadian (24 hours rhythmicity) of plasma som atostatin was studied and established in. patients suffering from larg e bowel polyps, Blood was drawn from the study subjects at regular int ervals and the plasma somatostatin levels were determined by radioimmu noassay. Results: In both groups, a circadian. rhythm of somatostatin, was confirmed. In patients with P higher mesor (p<0.05), higher 24 ho ur amplitude (p<0.05) and longer acrophase (p<0.05) were found. Conclu sion: These findings may indicate the defense antiproliferative role o f somatostatin in malignant and premalignant states. Somatostatin may prove beneficial as one of the treatment possibilities for large bowel polyps.