Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine logoLink to The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
. 1997 Sep-Dec;70(5-6):565–575.

The biology and clinical relevance of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in adrenal tumor management.

J W Kennedy 1, R G Dluhy 1
PMCID: PMC2589262  PMID: 9825485

Abstract

Somatostatin receptors are present in the normal adrenal cortex and medulla. These receptors are also expressed by tumors that cause Cushing's syndrome and by pheochromocytomas. Somatostatin analogues such as octreotide have been developed to target somatostatin receptors for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This article reviews the current knowledge of the biology of somatostatin receptors in the normal adrenal gland and in adrenal tumors and defines the current role of the somatostatin receptor in the diagnosis, staging and management of Cushing's syndrome and pheochromocytomas.

Full text

PDF
565

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Aguilera G., Harwood J. P., Catt K. J. Somatostatin modulates effects of angiotensin II in adrenal glomerulosa zone. Nature. 1981 Jul 16;292(5820):262–263. doi: 10.1038/292262a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aguilera G., Parker D. S., Catt K. J. Characterization of somatostatin receptors in the rat adrenal glomerulosa zone. Endocrinology. 1982 Oct;111(4):1376–1384. doi: 10.1210/endo-111-4-1376. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ambrosi B., Bochicchio D., Fadin C., Colombo P., Faglia G. Failure of somatostatin and octreotide to acutely affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in patients with corticotropin hypersecretion. J Endocrinol Invest. 1990 Mar;13(3):257–261. doi: 10.1007/BF03349555. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bravo E. L. Pheochromocytoma: new concepts and future trends. Kidney Int. 1991 Sep;40(3):544–556. doi: 10.1038/ki.1991.244. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cheung N. W., Boyages S. C. Failure of somatostatin analogue to control Cushing's syndrome in two cases of ACTH-producing carcinoid tumours. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1992 Apr;36(4):361–367. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1992.tb01461.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Epelbaum J., Bertherat J., Prevost G., Kordon C., Meyerhof W., Wulfsen I., Richter D., Plouin P. F. Molecular and pharmacological characterization of somatostatin receptor subtypes in adrenal, extraadrenal, and malignant pheochromocytomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995 Jun;80(6):1837–1844. doi: 10.1210/jcem.80.6.7775631. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Flack M. R., Oldfield E. H., Cutler G. B., Jr, Zweig M. H., Malley J. D., Chrousos G. P., Loriaux D. L., Nieman L. K. Urine free cortisol in the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test for the differential diagnosis of the Cushing syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1992 Feb 1;116(3):211–217. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-116-3-211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gifford R. W., Jr, Manger W. M., Bravo E. L. Pheochromocytoma. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1994 Jun;23(2):387–404. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Invitti C., De Martin I., Bolla G. B., Pecori Giraldi F., Maestri E., Leonetti G., Cavagnini F. Effect of octreotide on catecholamine plasma levels in patients with chromaffin cell tumors. Horm Res. 1993;40(4):156–160. doi: 10.1159/000183786. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Invitti C., de Martin M., Brunani A., Piolini M., Cavagnini F. Treatment of Cushing's syndrome with the long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 (sandostatin). Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1990 Mar;32(3):275–281. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1990.tb00867.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Krenning E. P., Kwekkeboom D. J., Bakker W. H., Breeman W. A., Kooij P. P., Oei H. Y., van Hagen M., Postema P. T., de Jong M., Reubi J. C. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with [111In-DTPA-D-Phe1]- and [123I-Tyr3]-octreotide: the Rotterdam experience with more than 1000 patients. Eur J Nucl Med. 1993 Aug;20(8):716–731. doi: 10.1007/BF00181765. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Krenning E. P., Kwekkeboom D. J., Oei H. Y., de Jong R. J., Dop F. J., de Herder W. W., Reubi J. C., Lamberts S. W. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in carcinoids, gastrinomas and Cushing's syndrome. Digestion. 1994;55 (Suppl 3):54–59. doi: 10.1159/000201202. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kubota A., Yamada Y., Kagimoto S., Shimatsu A., Imamura M., Tsuda K., Imura H., Seino S., Seino Y. Identification of somatostatin receptor subtypes and an implication for the efficacy of somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 in treatment of human endocrine tumors. J Clin Invest. 1994 Mar;93(3):1321–1325. doi: 10.1172/JCI117090. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lamberts S. W., Krenning E. P., Reubi J. C. The role of somatostatin and its analogs in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Endocr Rev. 1991 Nov;12(4):450–482. doi: 10.1210/edrv-12-4-450. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lamberts S. W., Reubi J. C., Krenning E. P. Validation of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in the localization of neuroendocrine tumors. Acta Oncol. 1993;32(2):167–170. doi: 10.3109/02841869309083907. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lamberts S. W., van der Lely A. J., de Herder W. W., Hofland L. J. Octreotide. N Engl J Med. 1996 Jan 25;334(4):246–254. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199601253340408. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Miller D. L., Doppman J. L. Localization of endocrine tumors with radiolabeled octreotide. Radiology. 1994 Apr;191(1):289–291. doi: 10.1148/radiology.191.1.8166870. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Oldfield E. H., Doppman J. L., Nieman L. K., Chrousos G. P., Miller D. L., Katz D. A., Cutler G. B., Jr, Loriaux D. L. Petrosal sinus sampling with and without corticotropin-releasing hormone for the differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1991 Sep 26;325(13):897–905. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199109263251301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Orth D. N. Cushing's syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1995 Mar 23;332(12):791–803. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199503233321207. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pandha H. S., Harrington K., Saini S., Lynn J., Peters M., Waxman J. Secretory symptoms from metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma responding to octreotide. Postgrad Med J. 1995 Apr;71(834):229–230. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.71.834.229. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pawlikowski M., Lewiński A., Sewerynek E., Szkudliński M., Kunert-Radek J., Wajs E. Somatostatin analog (SMS 201-995) inhibits the basal and angiotensin II-stimulated 3H-thymidine uptake by rat adrenal glands. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1990 Feb 14;166(3):1171–1175. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(90)90989-z. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Phlipponneau M., Nocaudie M., Epelbaum J., De Keyzer Y., Lalau J. D., Marchandise X., Bertagna X. Somatostatin analogs for the localization and preoperative treatment of an adrenocorticotropin-secreting bronchial carcinoid tumor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994 Jan;78(1):20–24. doi: 10.1210/jcem.78.1.7904613. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Plouin P. F., Bertherat J., Chatellier G., Billaud E., Azizi M., Grouzmann E., Epelbaum J. Short-term effects of octreotide on blood pressure and plasma catecholamines and neuropeptide Y levels in patients with phaeochromocytoma: a placebo-controlled trial. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1995 Mar;42(3):289–294. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1995.tb01877.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Reichlin S. Somatostatin (second of two parts). N Engl J Med. 1983 Dec 22;309(25):1556–1563. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198312223092506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Reichlin S. Somatostatin. N Engl J Med. 1983 Dec 15;309(24):1495–1501. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198312153092406. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Reisine T., Bell G. I. Molecular biology of somatostatin receptors. Endocr Rev. 1995 Aug;16(4):427–442. doi: 10.1210/edrv-16-4-427. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Reubi J. C., Waser B., Khosla S., Kvols L., Goellner J. R., Krenning E., Lamberts S. In vitro and in vivo detection of somatostatin receptors in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992 May;74(5):1082–1089. doi: 10.1210/jcem.74.5.1349024. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Tenenbaum F., Lumbroso J., Schlumberger M., Mure A., Plouin P. F., Caillou B., Parmentier C. Comparison of radiolabeled octreotide and meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy in malignant pheochromocytoma. J Nucl Med. 1995 Jan;36(1):1–6. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Weiss M., Yellin A., Husza'r M., Eisenstein Z., Bar-Ziv J., Krausz Y. Localization of adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting bronchial carcinoid tumor by somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Aug 1;121(3):198–199. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-121-3-199408010-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. de Herder W. W., Krenning E. P., Malchoff C. D., Hofland L. J., Reubi J. C., Kwekkeboom D. J., Oei H. Y., Pols H. A., Bruining H. A., Nobels F. R. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy: its value in tumor localization in patients with Cushing's syndrome caused by ectopic corticotropin or corticotropin-releasing hormone secretion. Am J Med. 1994 Apr;96(4):305–312. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(94)90059-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine are provided here courtesy of Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine

RESOURCES