Marek Pawlikowski
Medical University of Lodz
Lodz, Poland

About this Book

Somatostatin is a peptide isolated originally from the hypothalamus and considered as an inhibitor of growth hormone secretion. However, further studies have shown that the peptide was ubiquitously distributed and exerts a large spectrum of physiological effects, mostly of an inhibitory nature. The very short half-life of the native peptide limits its therapeutic application. To overcome this limitation the long-lasting modified molecules (analogs) of somatostatin were synthesized. The present book provides comprehensive data on the application of somatostatin analogs in diagnostics and treatment of diseases, mostly endocrine disorders and cancers.

Table of Contents

1. Physiology of Somatostatin
Marek Pawlikowski

2. Somatostatin Receptors: Distribution in Normal Tissues
and Transduction Mechanisms
Gabriela Melen-Mucha and Slawomir Mucha

3. Somatostatin Analogs: Lessons in Functional Complexity
and Receptor Interactions
Michael D. Culler

4. Somatostatin Receptors in Human Tumors: In Vitro Studies
Marek Pawlikowski

5. The Treatment of Acromegaly with Somatostatin Analogs
Nuria Sucunza, Mª José Barahona and Susan M. Webb

6. The Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors (NET)
with Somatostatin Analogs
Beata Kos-Kudla

7. Radiolabeled Somatostatin Analogs in the Diagnosis
and Therapy of Neuroendocrine Tumors
Leszek Królicki, Jolanta Kunikowska and Marianna I. Bak

8. Somatostatin Analogs–New Perspectives
Gabriela Melen-Mucha and Marek Pawlikowski