Influence of octreotide on liver metastasis and hepatic lipid peroxidation in BOP-induced pancreatic cancer in Syrian hamsters.

Abstract

In prospective clinical trials, octreotide improved quality of life and survival time in patients with pancreatic cancer. To analyze whether octreotide modulates the hepatic oxygen radical metabolism and thus might decrease liver metastasis in an animal model of pancreatic cancer. Syrian hamsters received 0.9% NaCl or N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) for 3 months. Therapy was performed for 12 weeks by 0.9% NaCl or octreotide. Hamsters received a standard diet (3.5% fat) or were fed a high-fat diet (21.4% fat). In the 25th week, the pancreas and liver were examined macroscopically and histologically. The level of lipid peroxidation and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined intrahepatically. The number of liver metastases per animal and the size of liver metastases were increased by the high-fat diet, whereas they were decreased by octreotide. Octreotide increased activities of GSH-Px and SOD. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was increased by BOP and a high-fat diet and decreased by octreotide. 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.