Objectives: In prospective clinical trials, octreotide improved the quality of life and survival time in patients with pancreatic cancer. In this study, we analyzed whether octreotide modulates the intrametastatic oxygen radical metabolism and might decrease liver metastasis in a model of pancreatic cancer. Methods: Syrian hamsters received 0.9% NaCl or N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine for 3 months. Therapy was performed for 12 weeks by 0.9% NaCl or octreotide. Hamsters received a standard diet or were fed a high-fat diet. In the 25th week, pancreas and liver were examined macroscopically and histologically. The level of lipid peroxidation and the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were determined intrahepatically and intrametastatically. Results: The number and size of liver metastases per animal were increased by high-fat diet and decreased by octreotide. While high-fat diet increased intrahepatic extrametastatic lipid peroxidation, octreotide decreased intrahepatic extrametastatic lipid peroxidation and increased intrametastatic lipid peroxidation. Conclusions: Octreotide decreases the number and size of liver metastases in chemically induced pancreatic cancer in Syrian hamsters. Possible mechanisms are the prevention of high lipid peroxidation in non-metastatic liver as well as the increase in intrametastatic lipid peroxidation, leading to loss of integrity of spread tumor cells.

In prospective clinical trials single octreotide therapy or combined therapy with tamoxifen has improved the quality of life and survival time in patients with pancreatic cancer. In this study we analyzed the influence of octreotide and tamoxifen on tumor growth and liver metastases in chemically induced pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Syrian hamsters. Octreotide alone and the combined therapy (octreotide/tamoxifen) decreased the incidence of macroscopic pancreatic carcinomas as well as the number and size of liver metastases. The combined therapy showed no superior effect to octreotide alone. Furthermore, there was no difference between the tamoxifen and the control group.

Octreotide decreases the number and size of liver metastases in chemically induced pancreatic cancer in Syrian hamsters. This is accompanied by high hepatic GSH-Px and SOD activity and a low level of lipid peroxidation.

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