title: Effect of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I on prostate diseases: an ultrasonographic and endocrine study in acromegaly, GH deficiency, and healthy subjects.
abstract: The role of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in prostate development is currently under thorough investigation because it has been claimed that IGF-I is a positive predictor of prostate cancer. To assess the effect of GH and IGF-I levels on prostate pathophysiology, 46 acromegalic (30 in active disease, 10 cured from acromegaly, and 6 affected from GH deficiency) and 30 age-matched male controls, free from previous or concomitant prostate disorders, underwent pituitary, androgen, and prostate hormonal assessments and transrectal ultrasonography. Compared to control values, GH (P < 0.0001), IGF-I (P < 0.0001), and IGFBP-3 (P < 0.001) levels were increased, whereas testosterone (P < 0.0001) and dihydrotestosterone levels (P < 0.0001) were reduced in active acromegalic patients. Hypogonadism was present in 28 of the 46 acromegalic patients (60.8%). The anteroposterior (P < 0.05), and transverse (P < 0.0001) prostate diameters and the transitional zone volume (P < 0.05) were increased in acromegalic patients compared to those in controls. Prostate volume (PV) was significantly higher in untreated acromegalic patients than in controls (41.7 +/- 3.2 vs. 21.9 +/- 1.4 mL; P < 0.0001), cured patients (23.6 +/- 1.6 mL; P < 0.0001), and GH-deficient patients (17.5 +/- 1.1 mL; P < 0.0001). In the patients, PV was correlated with disease duration (r = 0.606; P < 0.0001) and age (r = 0.496; P < 0.0001), whereas in controls it was correlated with age (r = 0.476; P < 0.01) and IGF-I levels (r = -0.448; P < 0.05). Benign prostate hyperplasia (PV > or = 30 mL) was found in 58% of the acromegalics and 26.6% of the controls. When grouped by age (<40, 40-60, and >60 yr), PV was increased in elderly patients compared to younger patients (P < 0.05) and to controls (P < 0.01). The prevalence of structural abnormalities, including calcifications, nodules, cysts, and vesicle inflammation, was significantly increased in patients compared to controls (78.2% vs. 23.3%; chi2 = 5.856; P < 0.05). No clinical, transrectal ultrasonography, or cytological evidence of prostate cancer was detected in acromegalic or control subjects. In conclusion, chronic excess of GH and IGF-I cause prostate overgrowth and further phenomena of rearrangement, but not prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Molecular Endocrinology and Oncology, Federico II University of Naples, Italy. colao@unina.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spiezia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giaccio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cerbone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pivonello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Somma
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardi
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I