CONTROL OF CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED DIARRHEA WITH OCTREOTIDE - A RANDOMIZED TRIAL WITH PLACEBO IN PATIENTS RECEIVING CISPLATIN

Cisplatin-related diarrhea is a relatively common complication in the clinical management of cancer patients and until now no treatment for this condition has been identified. Octreotide has been reported effec tive in the treatment of 5-fluorouracil-related diarrhea. To assess th e safety and efficacy of octreotide in controlling diarrhea caused by cisplatin, 43 patients who had already had diarrhea during the 24-hour period following a previous cisplating administration were randomized to receive either octreotide or placebo during the next cisplatin cou rse. The patients given octreotide experienced less diarrhea (5 vs. 75 %, p = 0.01). There were no side effects. We conclude that octreotide is more effective than placebo in controlling diarrhea following cispl atin chemotherapy.