Acromegaly

Have your rings or shoes become tighter over time? Have you noticed changes in your facial features, along with headaches, heavy sweating, or joint pain? These changes may seem unrelated, but together they can be signs of acromegaly.

Acromegaly develops when your body makes too much growth hormone over many years. Because the changes happen slowly, many people live with the condition for years before realizing something is wrong.

At Diabetes & Glandular Disease Clinic, we diagnose and treat acromegaly for patients throughout San Antonio. Early diagnosis can help prevent serious complications and improve your long-term health.

Acromegaly is a rare hormone disorder. It develops after your bones have finished growing, causing the bones in your hands, feet, and face to become larger. Soft tissues throughout the body can also grow.

Too much growth hormone affects many parts of the body. It can raise blood sugar, strain the heart, narrow the airway, and put pressure on nerves. Without treatment, these changes can lead to serious health problems.

Most cases of acromegaly are caused by a pituitary adenoma. This is a noncancerous tumor in the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. The tumor makes extra growth hormone, so the level stays high over time.

In rare cases, a tumor somewhere else in the body causes the pituitary gland to release high levels of growth hormone.

Acromegaly can affect adults of any age. It’s most often diagnosed in people in their 40s and 50s.

A rare inherited condition called familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) can increase the risk of developing pituitary tumors.

Symptoms usually appear slowly. You may not notice the changes right away.

Common symptoms include:

• Larger hands
• Larger feet or an increase in shoe size
• Rings that no longer fit
• A more prominent forehead
• A larger lower jaw
• A broader nose
• Fuller lips
• A larger tongue
• Thick, oily skin
• Skin tags
• A deeper voice
• Heavy sweating

As tissues grow larger, they can also put pressure on joints, nerves, and the airway. This may cause:

• Joint pain or stiffness
• Numbness or tingling in the hands
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Loud snoring
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Changes in menstrual periods or sex drive

An endocrinologist usually diagnoses acromegaly with a physical exam, blood tests, and imaging. Your doctor will ask about changes in your appearance, ring or shoe size, and your symptoms.

IGF-1 Blood Test

An IGF-1 blood test is the main blood test used to diagnose acromegaly. High IGF-1 levels may be a sign that your body is making excessive growth hormone.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

If your IGF-1 level is high, your doctor may recommend an oral glucose tolerance test. After you drink a glucose solution, healthy growth hormone levels should drop. In people with acromegaly, they often stay too high.

Imaging

If blood tests suggest acromegaly, your doctor will use an MRI or CT scan to look at the pituitary gland. Imaging can show the size and location of a tumor and whether it’s affecting nearby structures.

Treatment depends on the cause of your acromegaly, the size of the tumor, and your hormone levels. Treatment aims to lower growth hormone levels, treat the tumor, and prevent health problems.

Pituitary Surgery

Surgery is often the first treatment for a pituitary tumor. Most procedures are performed through the nose using an approach called transsphenoidal surgery. Removing the tumor can quickly lower growth hormone levels and relieve pressure that’s causing headaches or vision problems.

If the tumor can’t be removed completely, you may need medication or radiation therapy afterward.

Medications

Several medicines can lower growth hormone levels or block its effects. Your endocrinologist will recommend the treatment that’s best for your condition. Treatment may include injections or pills.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy may be recommended if surgery and medication don’t fully control the tumor or hormone levels. Because radiation works slowly, you may continue taking medication while it begins to take effect.

Managing Other Health Conditions

Acromegaly can increase your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and heart disease. Your treatment plan may also include care for these conditions.

If you’ve noticed your hands, feet, or facial features changing, don’t ignore the signs. Acromegaly often develops slowly, but early diagnosis can help prevent serious complications.

At Diabetes & Glandular Disease Clinic, we diagnose and treat acromegaly for patients throughout San Antonio. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn about your treatment options.

1. Can acromegaly be cured?

Many people can be cured with surgery if the pituitary tumor is removed completely. If surgery isn’t enough, medication or radiation therapy can help control growth hormone levels. Your endocrinologist will recommend the treatment that’s right for you.

2. Is acromegaly cancer?

No. Most cases of acromegaly are caused by a noncancerous pituitary tumor called a pituitary adenoma. Even though it isn’t cancer, it can still cause serious health problems if it isn’t treated.

3. What’s the difference between acromegaly and gigantism?

Both conditions are caused by too much growth hormone. Gigantism develops before a child’s bones finish growing, so it causes unusual height. Acromegaly develops after growth has ended, so it causes the hands, feet, and facial bones to become larger.