Vol 57, No 3 (2006)
Review paper
Published online: 2006-06-28
The incidence of somatostatin receptors in human neoplasms in the light of ex vivo–in vitro studies
Endokrynol Pol 2006;57(3):238-243.
Abstract
Human neoplastic cells express and often even over-express
the somatostatin receptors (sstr). It concerns not only pituitary
tumors and the so-called neuroendocrine tumors of
the gut, but many other neoplasms, including the non-endocrine
cancers. The incidence of sstr is important because
it determinates the possibility of treatment with SST (somatostatin)
analogs. The examination of sstr is possible under
the in vivo conditions, by means of the receptor scintigraphy
using the radiolabeled SST analogs. The receptors can
be also examined under the ex vivo–in vitro conditions,
using the post-surgical or biopsy specimens. Among the in
vitro (ex vivo) methods, the immunohistochemical investigation
with specific anti-receptor antibodies seems to be
particularly useful for routine clinical diagnostics. This review
presents the data, obtained by means of different in
vitro techniques, on the incidence of five sstr subtypes in the different human tumors, deriving from endocrine
glands, diffuse neuroendocrine cells as well as in neoplasms
consididered as non-endocrine.
Keywords: neoplasmssomatostatin receptorsimmunohistochemistry
![](https://journals.viamedica.pl/plugins/generic/popups/images/icons/close.png)