SOMATULINE (BIM-23014) AND TAMOXIFEN TREATMENT OF POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS - CLINICAL ACTIVITY AND EFFECT ON INSULIN-LIKE-GROWTH-FACTOR-I (IGF-I) LEVELS
L. Canobbio et al., SOMATULINE (BIM-23014) AND TAMOXIFEN TREATMENT OF POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS - CLINICAL ACTIVITY AND EFFECT ON INSULIN-LIKE-GROWTH-FACTOR-I (IGF-I) LEVELS, Anticancer research, 15(6B), 1995, pp. 2687-2690
Somatostatin analogues have been shown to suppress some hormones and g
rowth factors involved in breast tumour growth and a direct in vivo an
d clinical antimumour effect has recently been reported. In our study
the effects of tamoxifen, combined with a depot somatostatin analogue
in 33 postmenopausal untreated breast cancer patients, have been evalu
ated. Blood samples were obtained before treatment, after 14 days and
then monthly, in order to evaluate the behaviour of serum IGF-I, GH an
d somatuline levels. The drug combination resulted in a significant an
d synergistic reduction of plasma IGF-I concentration. No significant
changes of serum GH were observed 12.5% of patients exhibited a comple
te response and 37.5% a partial response for an overall objective resp
onse rate of 50% (95% CL 35-69%). The high remission rate reported the
absence of overlapping side effects between tamoxifen and somatuline
and the synergistic activity on IGF-I suppression justify a further ev
aluation of the drug-combination.