Carcinoid tumors are difficult to diagnose. They can be active or inactive. Sometimes a carcinoid tumor will actively release hormones into the body resulting in symptoms. If the carcinoid tumors are inactive, they may not produce any symptoms at all, making them difficult to detect.
Doctors rely on different methods to diagnose and monitor carcinoid syndrome. One test is called a 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) test because it tests for the presence of 5-HIAA, a metabolite of serotonin, the hormone that causes symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. The simple test measures the amount of 5-HIAA in your urine. This test is very helpful because most patients with carcinoid syndrome overproduce serotonin and its metabolite, 5-HIAA.2,3
Read more about the diagnosis and management of carcinoid syndrome.
Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension) is indicated for long-term treatment of the severe diarrhea and flushing episodes associated with metastatic carcinoid tumors and for the long-term treatment of the profuse watery diarrhea associated with VIP-secreting tumors in patients in whom initial treatment with immediate release Sandostatin® (octreotide acetate) Injection has been shown to be effective and tolerated.
Important Safety Information
As with immediate release Sandostatin® Injection, the most frequently reported drug-related adverse events were biliary disorders (62%), gastrointestinal disorders (14% to 38%), and injection-site pain (20% to 50%). Hypoglycemia (4%), hyperglycemia (27%), sinus bradycardia (19%), conduction abnormalities (9%), and arrhythmias (3%) have been reported.
The controlled clinical trials that support the marketing clearance for Sandostatin® LAR Depot did not include determination of effect on tumor size or rate of growth. Sandostatin® LAR Depot is not indicated for tumor shrinkage. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
