An update on treatment strategies for acromegaly.
BACKGROUND
Acromegaly is an insidious disease due to growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion from a pituitary adenoma, and is associated with multiple comorbidities and risk of premature mortality.


OBJECTIVE
To review the therapeutic goals and options for acromegaly.


METHODS
Literature review.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery is the mainstay of therapy, but a role for primary medical therapy using somatostatin analogs is described as well. Somatostatin analogs are the mainstay for medical therapy, largely in an adjuvant setting. The GH receptor antagonist is also used and may be considered in addition to the somatostatin analogs, or as second line therapy. Based on these multiple modalities of therapy, it should be possible to achieve biochemical control in almost all patients.
Katznelson
Laurence
L
Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 875 Blake Wilbur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5821, USA. atznelson@stanford.edu
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D013004:Somatostatin