Background/Aims: Somatostatin analogues are considered for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinomas which express somatostatin receptors (SSTR). There is limited data for the SSTR subtypes. Somatostatin receptor 1 (SSTR1) and Somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) expressions are investigated in needle biopsy materials of patients diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma, using immunohistochemical methods in the assistance of antibody kits. Methodology: The needle biopsy materials of forty-one patients that were diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma between 2000 and 2006 have been examined. The underlying diseases, AFP values, treatments received and the stages-of the subjects were taken under record. Biopsy sections were evaluated after SSTR1 and SSTR5 staining. Results: SSTR1 expression was found in 31 (75.6%) and SSTR5 expression in 21 of (51.2%) 41 biopsies. SSTR1 and SSTR5 expressions were not determined in 10 (24.4%) and 20 (48.8%) of the cases. In addition, no significant correlation of the SSTR1 and SSTR5 stains with the underlying diseases (chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis) and gender was observed. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the tumor cells in the tissue samples of the patients diagnosed with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma expressed a high proportion of SSTR1 and SSTR5.
Gürel et al. (Tue,) studied this question.