title: Multiple facets in the control of acromegaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current article provides a brief overview of the criteria for defining disease control in acromegaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective, narrative review of previously published evidence chosen at the author's discretion along with an illustrative case study from Latin America.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the strictest sense, "cure" in acromegaly is defined as complete restoration of normal pulsatile growth hormone secretion, although this is rarely achieved. Rather than "cure", as such, it is more appropriate to refer to disease control and remission, which is defined mainly in terms of specific biochemical targets (for growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1) that predict or correlate with symptoms, comorbidities and mortality. However, optimal management of acromegaly goes beyond biochemical control to include control of tumour growth (which may be independent of biochemical control) and comprehensive management of the symptoms and comorbidities typically associated with the disease, as these may not be adequately managed with acromegaly-specific therapy alone.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hospital das Clinicas, Federal University Medical School, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vilar
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Oliveira
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gómez Giraldo
authors.forename: Doly
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pantoja
authors.forename: Marcello D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bronstein
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D049912:Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma / Q000473:pathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013004:Somatostatin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I