Medical Therapies for Acromegaly

Surgery is the first-line treatment for most patients with acromegaly; however, even in specialized centers, approximately 50% of patients will require adjuvant medical therapy. Three drug classes are currently available for treatment: somatostatin receptor ligands, dopamine agonists, and growth hormone receptor antagonists. Despite these treatment options, a considerable number of patients continue to experience uncontrolled disease, and some controlled patients still demonstrate symptoms and/or impaired quality of life. New drugs with different mechanisms of action or more convenient routes of administration are currently being investigated. In this article, we summarize the current medical management of acromegaly and future perspectives.