Expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes 1 to 5 in tumor tissue and intratumoral vessels in malignant endocrine pancreatic tumors

• Somatostatin analogs are well established in the treatment of malignant endocrine pancreatic tumors (EPTs). Our goal is to individualize their treatment using receptor-subtype-specific analogs and, therefore, exploring the receptor expression is highly important. We have examined the expression of somatostatin receptor (sst) subtypes 1–5 on tumor cells and in intratumoral vessels in 28 tumor tissues from malignant EPTs with immunohistochemistry using sst-subtype-specific polyclonal antibodies. We found that sst2 and sst4 stained positive in 90% and sst1 in 70% of the tumor tissues, whereas sst3 and sst5 stained positive in only 50% of the tumor tissues. Sst expression in intratumoral vessels was high for sst2 and sst4 (80%), moderate for sst1 (40%), and low for sst3 and sst5 (10%). The ssts were evenly distributed among the different tumor subtypes. However, tumors belonging to the same subgroup of EPTs showed a variable expression of receptor subtypes. No differences in receptor-subtype expression could be seen between poorly and well-differentiated tumors, nor between primary tumors and metastases. Prior medical treatment did not influence sst expression pattern. In conclusion, sst2 and sst4 were expressed in most tumor tissues and intratumoral vessels from EPTs. However, sst3 and sst5 were lacking in half of the tumor tissues and in most of the intratumoral vessels. These differences indicate the importance of determining each tumor’s subset of receptors before treatment with receptor-subtype-specific analogs is initiated. The importance of sst expression in intratumoral vessels is not yet known.

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