From the Guidelines
Lanreotide is associated with several side effects, including gastrointestinal discomfort, cholelithiasis, hypo- and hyperglycaemia, and alopecia, as reported in the most recent study 1.
Common Side Effects
- Gastrointestinal issues, such as steatorrhea-like symptoms, which are most pronounced during the first injections and tend to fade over time 1
- Cholelithiasis, or gallstone formation, due to the effect of lanreotide on bile secretion and gallbladder motility
- Hypo- and hyperglycaemia, resulting from the influence of lanreotide on insulin and glucagon secretion
- Alopecia, or hair loss, as a less common but potential side effect of lanreotide treatment
Less Common Side Effects
- Pancreatic abnormalities and liver function test abnormalities, which may occur in some patients 1
- Cardiovascular effects, such as bradycardia, hypertension, or hypotension, although these are not as frequently reported
- Fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, which may be experienced by some patients
Serious but Rare Side Effects
- Severe allergic reactions, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention
- Heart valve problems, which have been associated with long-term use of somatostatin analogues, including lanreotide
- Increased risk of infections, which may be a concern for patients with compromised immune systems It is essential to note that the dosage of lanreotide can impact the severity and frequency of side effects, with higher doses (e.g., 120 mg every 4 weeks) associated with greater reductions in liver volume but also more side effects compared to lower doses (e.g., 90 mg every 4 weeks) 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
1 Patients with any Adverse Reactions Gastrointestinal disorders
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Vomiting
- Loose stools Hepatobiliary disorders
- Cholelithiasis General disorders and administration site conditions
- (Injection site pain /mass /induration/ nodule/pruritus) Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
- Arthralgia Nervous system disorders
- Headache In addition to the adverse reactions listed in Table 2, the following reactions were also seen:
- Sinus bradycardia
- Hypertension
- Anemia Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions
- Pancreatitis Gallbladder Adverse Reactions
- Cholelithiasis
- Gallbladder sludge Injection Site Reactions
- Injection site pain
- Injection site mass Glucose Metabolism Adverse Reactions
- Dysglycemia (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, diabetes) Cardiac Adverse Reactions
- Sinus bradycardia Other Adverse Reactions
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Cholelithiasis Table 3 compares the adverse reactions reported with an incidence of 5% and greater in patients receiving SOMATULINE DEPOT 120 mg administered every 4 weeks and reported more commonly than placebo
- Any Adverse Reactions
- Abdominal pain
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Injection site reaction
- Hyperglycemia
- Hypertension
- Cholelithiasis
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Dyspnea
The side effects of Lanreotide include:
- Gastrointestinal disorders:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Vomiting
- Loose stools
- Hepatobiliary disorders:
- Cholelithiasis
- General disorders and administration site conditions:
- Injection site pain
- Injection site mass
- Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders:
- Arthralgia
- Nervous system disorders:
- Headache
- Cardiac disorders:
- Sinus bradycardia
- Hypertension
- Glucose metabolism disorders:
- Dysglycemia (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, diabetes)
- Other adverse reactions:
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder sludge
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Dyspnea
- Muscle spasm 2
From the Research
Lanreotide Side Effects
- Transient abdominal pain 3
- Pain at the injection site 3
- Attacks of marked hypoglycemia (in one patient with gastrinoma) 3
- No other significant side effects were reported in the studies 3, 4, 5
Specific Patient Populations
- In patients with carcinoid tumors, lanreotide reduced daily bowel movements and flushing episodes without significant side effects 3
- In patients with gastrointestinal angiodysplasias bleeding or obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, lanreotide improved anaemia and decreased health resource consumption without relevant side effects 4
- In patients with neuroendocrine tumors, lanreotide improved symptom control of diarrhea and flushing without significant side effects 5