The role of somatostatin in vasogenic meningioma associated brain edema

• Published in: Tumori Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 136 - 140
• Main Authors: Pistolesi, Sabina, Fontanini, Gabriella, Boldrini, Laura, Camacci, Tiziano, De Ieso, Katia, Lupi, Giancarlo, Caniglia, Michele, Mariani, Giuliano, Boni, Giuseppe, Suriano, Sergio, Padolecchia, Riccardo, Pingitore, Raffaele, Parenti, Giuliano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-2003
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Brain Edema - etiology; Endothelial Growth Factors - analysis; Female; Humans; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - analysis; Lymphokines - analysis; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms - blood supply; Meningeal Neoplasms - complications; Meningeal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Meningioma - blood supply; Meningioma - complications; Meningioma - drug therapy; Middle Aged; Receptors, Somatostatin - analysis; Receptors, Somatostatin - physiology; Somatostatin - analogs & derivatives; Somatostatin - therapeutic use; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
• ISSN: 0300-8916; 2038-2529
• DOI: 10.1177/030089160308900206

Many tumors, including meningiomas, express somatostatin receptors, suggesting the application of somatostatin analogues for therapy and diagnosis. Sixty percent of meningiomas are associated with perilesional edema, whose development seems to be related to the vascular endothelial growth factor, although it requires an efficient pial blood supply. However, in several neoplastic models, other mediators seem to cooperate with vascular endothelial growth factor in regulating angiogenesis. We evaluated somatostatin receptors (sst2) in relation to the possibility that somatostatin analogues may influence vascular endothelial growth factor production with reduction of edema. Of 35 studied meningiomas, 21 presented peritumoural edema. Vascular endothelial growth factor, microvascular density and pial blood supply were significantly related to the edema (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001, P = 0.0005). Similarly, a relation was found between sst2 and microvascular density (r = 0.58, P < 0.001) and between sst2 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression (P = 0.03). This suggests that somatostatin analogues may be relevant for the treatment of meningiomas.