| << Patient Booklet Main Page >> | |
| << Chapter 8 Surgical Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumours |
Chapter 10 >> Radioisotope Therapy |
 |
Chapter 9 Medical Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumours |
What does Octreotide do?
Somatostatin is a hormone that our body makes. It plays an important role in many of our body’s internal processes. It also blocks the hormones made by certain tumours. The overproduction of hormones makes a person to feel sick.
Octreotide is a man‐made form of somatostatin. Octreotide helps control the hormones that cause diarrhea, flushing, low blood sugar, pounding of the heart, and changes in blood pressure. Octreotide can also protect the heart from damage even if you have no symptoms of carcinoid syndrome. You will likely need Octreotide injections for the rest of your life.
Octreotide is available in short‐acting and long‐acting forms. These may be prescribed as subcutaneous (under the skin) injections, intramuscular (in the muscle) injections or intravenous (in the vein) infusions.
The team may arrange to have injections given to you in your home by a nurse. In some cases, you may be taught how to give injections to yourself by a home care nurse.
Is chemotherapy helpful?
Chemotherapy drugs are often given to treat cancer. Like a recipe, there are many combinations of drugs used to treat different types of cancer. The type of chemotherapy used depends on how the tumour looks under a microscope.
Some neuroendocrine tumours respond well to chemotherapy, but for others chemotherapy has a limited effect.
For neuroendocrine tumours that do not respond well, chemotherapy is usually combined with radioisotope therapy. The Neuroendocrine Team has noted that up to 75% of patients may have some kind of response with these two therapies combined. A response means that tumours either decrease in size or stop growing.
Your treatment schedule will depend upon the type of therapies you are getting. These drugs are given each time a person is admitted to hospital for the radioisotope. If you receive chemotherapy, more detailed information will be given to you.
Before getting your treatment, you may need a central line called a PICC put in. The PICC is a long intravenous line that is inserted into a vein in your arm. It is then threaded up until it reaches the large vein over the heart. It is similar to having an IV inserted into you. This procedure is done in the radiology department.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
Some people may feel side effects from the chemotherapy. Nausea will be managed with special anti‐nausea drugs. You may also have mouth sores and diarrhea and these will be with medicines. Fatigue is the side effect most people feel from this therapy.
If you have chemotherapy, the Team will talk to you about the side effects you can expect.
| << Patient Booklet Main Page >> | |
| << Chapter 8 Surgical Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumours |
Chapter 10 >> Radioisotope Therapy |