[Acromegaly due to ectopic GH RH secretion by a bronchial carcinoid tumor: a case report]

Ectopic GH RH is a very uncommon cause of acromegaly (<1% of acromegaly). We report the case of an 41 year-old woman with acromegaly due to a GH-RH-secreting bronchial carcinoid tumor. Elevated serum GH (14 ng/ml) was paradoxically stimulated after glucose loading. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a normal pituitary gland. The thoracic CT demonstrated a voluminous (8 cm) bronchial tumor visualised with octreotide scintigraphy. Acromegaly due to ectopic GH RH secretion was confirmed by very high plasma immunoreactive GH RH level. After removal of the carcinoid tumor, plasmat GH, IGF1 and GH RH levels were normalised.