What causes gigantism?
Gigantism is very rare. The most common cause of too much GH release is a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland. Other causes include: Genetic disease that affects the skin color (pigmentation) and causes benign tumors of the skin, heart, and endocrine (hormone) system (Carney complex)
What does a pituitary gland do?
The pituitary gland is a small, bean-shaped gland situated at the base of your brain, somewhat behind your nose and between your ears. Despite its small size, the gland influences nearly every part of your body. The hormones it produces help regulate important functions, such as growth, blood pressure and reproduction.
Is radiotherapy effective for maintaining the adenoma?
While transsphenoidal surgery represents the standard initial approach in the majority of cases, radiotherapy is a valuable and effective treatment option for recurrent adenomas, or lesions not amenable to surgery or medical therapy.
Who is at risk of acromegaly?
Acromegaly is usually diagnosed in adults aged 30 to 50, but it can affect people of any age. When it develops before the end of puberty, it’s known as “gigantism”.
Which gland is responsible for gigantism?
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops when your pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood. When you have too much growth hormone, your bones increase in size. In childhood, this leads to increased height and is called gigantism. But in adulthood, a change in height doesn’t occur.
What is the difference between gigantism and acromegaly?
Gigantism occurs when growth hormone hypersecretion occurs before the fusion of the long bone epiphysis and is characterized by tall stature. Acromegaly occurs when GH hypersecretion occurs after the fusion of the epiphysis leading to large extremities and characteristic facies.
Where is anterior pituitary?
The anterior pituitary is the front lobe of your pituitary gland, which is a small, pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. Your pituitary gland is a part of your endocrine system and controls the function of several other endocrine glands.
What is anterior pituitary gland?
The anterior pituitary, also known as adenohypophysis, is a classic endocrine gland in that it is composed of secretory cells of epithelial origin supported by connective tissue rich in blood and lymphatic capillaries.
Can you treat a pituitary tumor with radiation?
Radiation therapy can be used in one of several ways for pituitary tumors. It may be recommended after pituitary tumor surgery to prevent regrowth of a tumor. Radiation may also be used as the sole treatment if the tumor cannot be removed surgically, or if the tumor regrows after surgery.
What organs does acromegaly affect?
Additional symptoms of acromegaly may include abnormal enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly), spleen (splenomegaly), intestines and/or kidneys. The thyroid (goiter) and/or the adrenal glands may also become abnormally enlarged.
What size does a pituitary tumor have to be to be removed?
Most patients have a macroadenoma (tumor > 1 cm) at the time of diagnosis. In this situation, surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible is usually the first treatment.