Endocrine tumours, somatostatin and somatostatin receptors.

Somatostatin blocks the release of numerous growth factors and is therefore a potent inhibitor of cell division and/or secretion. It exerts its effects through binding to somatostatin receptors. Five different subtypes of such receptors are identified (SSTR1 to SSTR5), having various tissue expression. The detection of their presence in tumours can be performed on histological sections and has potential therapeutic implications.