Management of Acromegaly

Excerpt

Acromegaly is a chronic disease not to be neglected. In addition to its metabolic abnormalities that are the consequence of excessive growth hormone secretion, neurologic sequelae can be caused by growth of the pituitary adenoma. Untreated acromegaly is associated with a decreased life expectancy (1). There is often a delay of several years in establishing the diagnosis because the telltale acral and facial changes occur gradually, and the patient and the immediate family interpret them as signs of aging. In treating this debilitating disease several options are currently available including surgical ablation of the pituitary tumor, conventional supervoltage or heavy