Acromegaly Overview
If you need treatment for acromegaly—a rare disorder that occurs when excess growth hormone causes bone and other tissue to grow irregularly—turn to Tampa General Hospital’s esteemed Pituitary Tumor Center. Located behind the nose and near the base of the brain, the pituitary gland is a pea-sized organ that produces, stores and releases hormones that help monitor and regulate bodily functions. One of these hormones is growth hormone, which helps manage physical growth. During childhood, this hormone promotes growth; during adulthood, it helps maintain bones, fat distribution, metabolism and muscles. When an adult’s pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone, it can cause their bones, cartilage, organs and other tissue to grow in abnormal ways, leading to acromegaly.
Gigantism vs. Acromegaly
It’s important to distinguish acromegaly from gigantism. Both of these conditions result from excess growth hormone, and the key distinction between the two lies in the age of the affected individual. Growth hormone helps children grow taller. This continues until the growth plates fuse during puberty, at which point growth hormone stops affecting height and instead switches to maintaining bones, fat distribution, metabolism and muscles.
When a child’s pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone before their growth plates fuse, it’s referred to as gigantism, and it can cause them to grow extremely tall. But when an adult overproduces growth hormone after their growth plates have fused, it’s known as acromegaly, and it can lead to irregularly shaped bones and abnormally large organs. When compared to gigantism, acromegaly is more common, though still rare overall.
Causes and Risk Factors of Acromegaly
Acromegaly is most commonly caused by the presence of a pituitary adenoma, a type of tumor that develops within the pituitary gland. These pituitary tumors are almost always noncancerous (benign). However, depending on where a pituitary adenoma is located and how large it grows, it can exert pressure on surrounding tissue and cause the pituitary gland to produce excess amounts of growth hormone.
In some cases, acromegaly can be caused by a tumor in another area of the body. These tumors may either secrete growth hormone or produce growth hormone-releasing hormone, which in turn signals the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone.
While acromegaly can affect anyone who has already gone through puberty, it’s most commonly diagnosed during middle age. Researchers are still working to determine exactly what causes pituitary adenomas to develop, but studies suggest that genetics may be involved. For example, individuals with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 1 (MEN 1) have a particularly high risk of experiencing acromegaly.
Signs and Symptoms of Acromegaly
Acromegaly symptoms can vary from one person to another. With that said, one of the hallmark signs of acromegaly is enlargement of the hands and feet, so it’s important to pay attention to any changes in how your rings and shoes fit. Acromegaly can also alter the shape of the face, often leading to a prominent forehead, an enlarged nose, thick lips, gapped teeth and a protruding lower jawbone. Other symptoms commonly associated with acromegaly include:
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Muscle weakness
- Limited mobility
- Spinal cord issues
- Numbness within the hands
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Excessive sweating
- Oily, thickened skin
- Increased body odor
- Skin tags
- Vision problems
- Deepened voice
- Sleep apnea
- Fatigue
- Low sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction (in men)
- Irregular menstrual cycles (in women)
Because pituitary adenomas tend to grow slowly, resulting acromegaly symptoms often develop gradually over the course of many years, which can make the disorder difficult to recognize. If you think you might have acromegaly, it’s important to promptly consult with a professional, since failing to treat this condition can lead to complications including arthritis, cardiomyopathy, colon polyps, goiters, heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, organ failure and Type 2 diabetes.
Diagnosing Acromegaly
If a medical provider suspects that you have acromegaly, they may recommend one or more of the following tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine how the condition has affected your body:
- Colonoscopy
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan
- Echocardiogram
- Growth hormone suppression testing
- Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) testing
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Sleep study testing
- X-ray
Acromegaly Treatment
In some instances, acromegaly can be cured. Even when that’s not the case, treatment is often able to significantly improve symptoms. Depending on factors such as your age and overall health, the size and location of any tumors and the severity of your symptoms, your physician may recommend one or more of the following acromegaly treatments:
TGH’s Approach to Treating Acromegaly
Residents of the Tampa, FL, area and beyond consistently turn to Tampa General Hospital’s Pituitary Tumor Center for acromegaly treatment. Not only does our multidisciplinary team use state-of-the-art technology, but they also come together to discuss cases at monthly pituitary conferences. We’re also part of Tampa General Hospital’s Neuroscience Institute, which was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 10% of hospitals for Neurology & Neurosurgery nationwide for 2024-25. Call us today at (800) 822-3627 to schedule a consultation and learn more about our approach to treating acromegaly and other hormonal disorders.
