Octreotide Scans Are Positive in a Subset of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Abstract
In vitro data suggest that a proportion of hepatocellular carcinomas express the somatostatin receptor. However, in vivo data are lacking. There has been little reported use of octreotide scans in hepatocellular carcinomas. This study was performed to determine the percentage of positive results of octreotide scanning in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In-111 octreotide scans were performed in the standard manner in eight patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Computer fusion imaging of the nuclear medicine and computed tomographic scans was performed in selected patients. Five of eight (63%) patients tested had hepatocellular carcinomas that displayed focal tracer uptake. This is the first report of positive uptake of octreotide scans in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. These findings may have implications for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with octreotide. Furthermore, these results may broaden the differential diagnosis in patients with positive results of octreotide scanning.