A recent study investigating treatment for adult acromegaly patients has revealed that switching from injectable somatostatin receptor ligands to oral octreotide leads to an improvement in quality of life and more productivity at work. According to Healio, additional data has gone on to bolster initial results from the MPOWERED phase 3 clinical trial. This data was recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology.

Oral Octreotide for Acromegaly

This data comes from the run-in portion of the phase 3 trial, which spanned 26 weeks. 146 acromegaly patients who had previously been treated with injectable somatostatin receptor ligand therapy for a minimum of four months were enrolled. Within this group of 146, 92 continued onto the next portion of the trial, which ran for 36 weeks. They were divided into two groups, one of which was given oral octreotide, and the other was given injectable somatostatin receptor ligand therapy.

In order to evaluate the difference between the two treatments, participants took the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Specific Health Problem and Acromegaly Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire three times: once before the run-in period, once after the run-in period, and a final time after the completion of the randomized trial.

There was an improvement in both scores, meaning that oral octreotide led to improvements in quality of life and work productivity. Specifically, patients reported:

• Decreased presenteeism
• Less activity impairment
• Increased work productivity
• Improved emotional reactions
• More convenient treatment
• Increased satisfaction with treatment

Looking Forward

In the end, this data confirms oral octreotide’s viability as a treatment for acromegaly. Researchers hope that clinicians are now more confident in prescribing this treatment to their patients.

About Acromegaly

Noncancerous tumors called adenomas sit on the pituitary gland in affected individuals with acromegaly, causing it to release an excess of growth hormone (GH). This excess leads to abnormal and significant growth. Symptoms typically appear slowly, with abnormal growth beginning in the appendages and making them disproportionate to the rest of the body. Further symptoms include:

• Protruding jaw and brow bone
• Thick, oily skin
• Excessive sweating
• Enlarged organs
• Enlarged nasal bone
• Enlarged facial features

Surgery is typically the first treatment option, as it is the quickest and most effective option. It may not work for all patients, so other options include dopamine agonists, somatostatin analogs (SSAs), and GH receptor antagonists (GHRAs). In the end, your doctor should individualize your treatment plan to your specific symptoms and needs.