Desensitization to somatostatin analogue (Octreotide) observed in a patient with acromegaly

Endocr J. 1995 Apr;42(2):295-300. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.42.295.

Abstract

We encountered a 33-year-old female patient with a pituitary growth hormone (GH)-secreting macroadenoma. The patient was treated with somatostatin analogue (Octreotide) in combination with bromocriptine for 2 months before a transsphenoidal adenomectomy was carried out. Octreotide (300-800 micrograms/day) in combination with bromocriptine was effective in reducing the size of the adenoma by 36%, but produced only a marginal decrease in serum GH. After the operation, bromocriptine alone (15 mg/day) did not lower the level of GH which was produced by residual adenoma tissue. When octreotide (200 micrograms/day) was resumed along with the bromocriptine one year after the operation, it effectively lowered serum GH for 6 months. Thereafter, octreotide therapy became ineffective with a concomitant rise in serum GH and somatomedin C, which was not accompanied by an increase in tumor size. This was a rare case of acromegaly that showed desensitization to octreotide after long-term treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acromegaly / drug therapy*
  • Acromegaly / etiology
  • Adenoma / drug therapy
  • Adenoma / metabolism*
  • Adenoma / surgery
  • Adult
  • Amenorrhea
  • Bromocriptine / administration & dosage
  • Bromocriptine / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Resistance
  • Female
  • Growth Hormone / blood
  • Growth Hormone / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Octreotide / administration & dosage
  • Octreotide / therapeutic use*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • Bromocriptine
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Growth Hormone
  • Octreotide