Chronic treatment with a long-acting somatostatin analogue in a patient with intestinal carcinoid tumor: occurence of cholelithiasis

The long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 has been used efficaciously in the therapy of metastatic carcinoid tumor, vasoactive intestinal peptide producing islet cell carcinoma, acromegaly, and TSH secreting pituitary tumors. We report the development of a gallstone in a patient treated for 23 months with a long acting somatostatin analogue for a metastatic carcinoid tumor. Symptomatic improvement and a reduction in the urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyin-doleacetic acid occurred. There was no evidence of a gallstone on ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen prior to somatostatin therapy. A progressively enlarging, asymptomatic gallstone developed during therapy.