[Symptomatic treatment of the malignant carcinoid syndrome with octreotide].

Intractable diarrhoea and flushing due to the malignant carcinoid syndrome is seldom relieved by conservative medical treatment. Octreotide (Sandostatin; Sandoz) is a long-acting analogue of somatostatin and a powerful inhibitor of endogenous peptide release. A patient with severe diarrhoea and flushing due to the malignant carcinoid syndrome, in whom symptomatic control with octreotide was achieved, is described, and the value of octreotide treatment in the malignant carcinoid syndrome is discussed.