Does Sandostatin inhibit or reverse the growth of carcinoid tumors?

Here are a few medical references dealing with the issue of efficacy of octreotide in control of tumor growth and/or reduction. There are more, but these are the initial ones that come to mind plus the most recent 2009 published study.. Feel free to print this article and show it to any physician who doubts the efficacy of octreotide (in this case Sandostatin):

The most recent reference published in 2009:
New Study First to Confirm Sandostatin LAR(R) Depot Controls Tumor Growth in Patients With Rare Gastrointestinal Tumors (Read full Text)
"In recent years, a growing body of evidence has suggested that Sandostatin LAR provides antitumor effects, but these are the first data to confirm this effect from a well-designed, prospective, placebo-controlled study," said David Epstein, President & CEO of Novartis Oncology.

EAST HANOVER, N.J., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandostatin LAR(R) Depot (octreotide acetate suspension for injection) demonstrated antitumor benefit in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the midgut, according to interim data presented today at the 2009 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
- Data show significant 66% reduction in risk of disease progression versus placebo
- Sandostatin LAR more than doubled time without tumor growth for a median of 14 months compared to six months on placebo
- Results support Sandostatin LAR as first treatment after surgery in certain patients with newly diagnosed neuroendocrine tumors (NETs)

Carcinoid tumor regression with high-dose octreotide acetate: a patient report.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=9626790&dopt=Abstract

Efficacy of octreotide in the regression of a metastatic carcinoid tumor despite negative imaging with In-111-pentetreotide (Octreoscan). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=9626790&dopt=Abstract

Also in a very impressive and comprehensive review:

Carcinoid tumors and the carcinoid syndrome. Jensen, R.T., Norton, JA In: DeVita, VT Jr., Hellman, S, Rosenberg S eds. Cancer; Principles Practice of Oncology, 5th ed. Philadelphia, P Lippincott-Raven; 1997; 2:1704-1723.
It is stated on page 1718: octreotide may have a tumoriostatic effect, stabalizing the extent of metastatic disease and prolonging survival (with three references).

In Metastatic carcinoid tumors and the malignant carcinoid syndrome, Kvols, LK, Reubi, JC, the authors state: Even though objective tumor regression was unusual, previously progressive disease often became stable and this seems to have translated into favorable long-term survival.
Refer to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=8323761&dopt=Abstract

And to quote from Somatostatin analogue octreotide and inhibition of tumor growth in metastatic endocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors. Arnold, R, Trautmann, ME, Creutzfeldt, W, Benning R, Benning, M, Neuhaus, C, Jurgensen, R, Stein, K. Schafer, H, Bruns, C, Dennler, H.J. The results suggest that octreotide inhibits tumor growth in patients with metastases endocrine GEP tumors. The antiproliferative effect is, at least in some patients, long lasting.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=8675099&dopt=Abstract