Somatostatin (SRIF) analogues display anti-tumor properties believed to be mediated by specific cell surface somatostatin receptors (SSTR). SSTR subtypes have unique pharmacological properties, including specific GTP-binding protein coupling, ion channel regulation, and cAMP inhibition; therefore, identification of isotypes expressed in tumor cells facilitates current efforts to design potent anti-tumor SRIF analogues. Human and rodent solid, transplantable tumors and tumor cell lines were examined for gene expression of SSTR1, SSTR2 and SSTR3 by reverse transcription of tumor mRNA and subsequent amplification of cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction, using SSTR subtype-specific oligonucleotide primers. SSTR2 mRNA transcripts were observed in all of the tumor cell lines examined. SSTR1 gene expression was seen in several human and rat tumor types, and SSTR3 gene expression observed in two rodent tumor types. SSTR mRNA-positive tumors are expected to possess membrane-bound receptors which could potentially interact with anti-tumor SRIF analogues.