Radionuclide-labeled somatostatin analogues for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in nonmedullary thyroid cancer

Thyroid. 2001 Jul;11(7):647-59. doi: 10.1089/105072501750362718.

Abstract

Despite the fact that several recent studies report an expression of somatostatin receptors in nonmedullary thyroid cancer (non-MTC), there is still no consensus concerning the diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness of radionuclide-labeled somatostatin analogues in non-MTC. We present the results of 50 scintigraphic studies with (111)In-Pentetreotide ((111)In-P) in 48 patients with metastasizing non-MTC (n = 9 papillary, n = 9 follicular, n = 29 Hurthle cell, n = 1 insular carcinoma). The findings were compared with histology and with other imaging modalities. (111)In-P provided unequivocally positive results in 37 of 50 (74%) of the patients (27% in the 11 patients with current thyroglobulin levels <10 ng/mL and 85% in the patients with thyroglobulin >10 ng/mL). Histopathology demonstrated that maximal uptake was observed in Hurthle cell carcinoma (95% positive examinations if thyroglobulin exceeds 10 ng/mL). We also describe for the first time dosimetric and clinical data from the courses of 90Y-DOTATOC therapy in three patients with progressive, somatostatin-receptor-positive non-MTC (up to 9.3 GBq per 4 cycles). Tumor progression could not be stopped in any of the patients treated with 90Y-DOTATOC. We conclude that (111)In-P is a promising tool for whole-body diagnosis in nonradioiodine-accumulating non-MTC, especially in Hürthle cell cancer, and if 2-[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is not available. Although the number of patients treated with 90Y-DOTATOC is still limited, our applied treatment protocol appears to be ineffective in metastasizing non-MTC.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Indium Radioisotopes
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Octreotide / analogs & derivatives*
  • Octreotide / therapeutic use*
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / therapeutic use*
  • Somatostatin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Yttrium Radioisotopes / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Indium Radioisotopes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Yttrium Radioisotopes
  • Somatostatin
  • pentetreotide
  • Octreotide
  • Edotreotide