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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
07:43
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Can acromegaly be controlled in all cases?
Sabrina Chiloiro1,2, Francesco Padovano Sorrentino1,2, Alessandra Vicari1,2
1Facoltà Di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Acromegaly treatment has advanced with personalized medicine, improving outcomes for growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary tumors. However, not all patients achieve disease control, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Acromegaly is a rare disorder caused by growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary adenomas (PitNETs).
- Treatment is multimodal, involving surgery, medical therapies, and radiotherapy, with evolving algorithms over 30 years.
- Personalized treatment aims for early disease control and reduced mortality from comorbidities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in acromegaly treatment and cure.
- To assess efficacy and predictors of response for conventional therapies.
- To discuss treatments for aggressive disease and novel targeted therapies.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical, biochemical, and molecular biomarkers for treatment outcome.
- Analysis of randomized clinical trials, interventional studies, and observational studies.
- Evaluation of conventional treatments (somatostatin receptor ligands, GH receptor antagonist) and systemic/targeted therapies (temozolomide, capecitabine, angiogenesis inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors).
Main Results:
- Despite treatment improvements, complete disease control is not achieved in all acromegaly patients.
- Normalized GH and IGF-I levels may not fully resolve symptoms or prevent comorbidities.
- Predictors of response to conventional therapies are being identified.
Conclusions:
- Personalized treatment strategies are crucial for managing acromegaly.
- Novel systemic and targeted therapies show promise for aggressive disease and refractory cases.
- Continued research is needed to optimize treatment and achieve cure in all patients.
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