Anti-aging therapy with human growth hormone associated with metastatic colon cancer in a patient with Crohn's colitis.
OBJECTIVE
The nonapproved use of human growth hormone (HGH) for anti-aging has been increasing. Theoretical concerns for neoplastic potentiation by HGH have been raised, but not proven clinically.


METHODS
We report the case of a 68-year-old man with colonic Crohn's disease who was found to have aggressive metastatic colon cancer. The patient had been receiving HGH therapy for anti-aging purposes for 7 years before presentation. Normal and malignant colonic tissue was examined for qualitative and quantitative molecular profiles of growth hormone (GH) and its signaling molecules, using immunohistochemistry and RNA extraction with polymerase chain reaction amplification.


RESULTS
Immunoreactivity was more robust in tumor tissue than in normal colon for insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) but not for IGF, GH, or GH receptor. RNA extraction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that IGF-1R and vascular endothelial growth factor expression, but not IGF-1, GH receptor, or suppressor of cytokine signaling-2, were higher in tumor than in normal colonic tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
Colorectal cancer development concurrent with administration of HGH for anti-aging purposes occurred in an individual already at increased risk for colon cancer. This underscores the need for further investigation of the proneoplastic potential of GH supplementation for anti-aging.
Melmed
Gil Y
GY
Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. melmedg@cshs.org
Devlin
Shane M
SM
Vlotides
George
G
Dhall
Deepti
D
Ross
Soraya
S
Yu
Run
R
Melmed
Shlomo
S
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone