Influence of octreotide on liver metastasis and hepatic lipid peroxidationin BOP-induced pancreatic cancer in Syrian hamsters

Introduction: In prospective clinical trials, octreotide improved quality o f life and survival time in patients with pancreatic cancer. Aims: To analyze whether octreotide modulates the hepatic oxygen radical me tabolism and thus might decrease liver metastasis in an animal model of pan creatic cancer. Methodology: Syrian hamsters received 0.9% NaCl or N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl )amine (BOP) for 3 months. Therapy was performed for 12 weeks by 0.9% NaCl or octreotide. Hamsters received a standard diet (3.5% fat) or were fed a h igh-fat diet (21.4% fat). In the 25th week, the pancreas and liver were exa mined macroscopically and histologically. The level of lipid peroxidation a nd activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase ( SOD) were determined intrahepatically. Results: The number of liver metastases per animal and the size of liver me tastases Were increased by the high-fat diet, whereas they were decreased b y octreotide. Octreotide increased activities of GSH-Px and SOD. The concen tration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was increased by BOP and a high-fat diet and decreased by octreotide. Conclusion: Octreotide decreases the number and size of liver metastases in chemically induced pancreatic cancer in Syrian hamsters. This is accompani ed by high hepatic GSH-Px and SOD activity and a low level of lipid peroxid ation.