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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
07:43
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Pathology of acromegaly
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Neuroendocrinology
|October 19, 2006
Summary
Acromegaly involves diverse pituitary tumors secreting excess growth hormone (GH). Medical therapies, including somatostatin analogs and GH receptor blockers, are also reviewed for managing this condition.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology and Pituitary Pathology
Background:
- Acromegaly results from excessive growth hormone (GH) production, primarily due to pituitary adenomas.
- Understanding the diverse cellular origins and secretory profiles of these tumors is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on pituitary changes in acromegaly.
- To detail the histological and immunohistochemical diversity of GH-secreting pituitary tumors.
- To briefly discuss current medical therapies for acromegaly.
Main Methods:
- Review of histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic studies of pituitary tumors.
- Synthesis of current literature on acromegaly pathogenesis and treatment.
Main Results:
- Significant diversity exists among GH-secreting tumors, including densely and sparsely granulated GH cell adenomas, mixed GH-prolactin cell adenomas, and mammosomatotrope adenomas.
- Some tumors co-secrete GH with prolactin or thyrotropin and alpha subunit.
- GH cell hyperplasia associated with extrapituitary tumors is another cause of acromegaly.
Conclusions:
- Pituitary tumors in acromegaly exhibit marked cellular and secretory heterogeneity.
- Medical management options include somatostatin analogs and GH receptor antagonists like pegvisomant.
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