Efficacy and safety of fractionated conformal radiation therapy in acromegaly: a long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Conformal, fractionated radiation therapy (XRT) is variably used as a treatment alternative for active acromegaly patients, usually, after failed pituitary surgery. Our objective was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of XRT using strict criteria of biochemical control. SETTING, DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 94 patients (73 women, mean age at radiation 53.16 ± 12.9 years) attending a specialized multidisciplinary clinic between 1998 and 2014 with a mean duration of follow-up of 12.9 ± 7.3 years. RESULTS: A basal growth hormone < 1 ng/mL and an IGF-1 < 1.2 × the upper limit of normal was achieved by 41% and 50.8%, respectively, at 5 years of follow-up, and by 44% and 66%, respectively, 10 years after XRT. Median tumor volume decreased significantly from 904 mm3 at baseline to 424 mm3 upon last follow-up (p = 0.01). The prevalence of central hypogonadism, central hypocortisolism, and central hypothyroidism increased from 18%, 35%, and 35% at baseline, to 38%, 53%, and 64%, respectively, after 10 years of follow-up. One patient was diagnosed with a meningioma and another one developed optic neuritis. No cerebrovascular events were recorded, and all patients are currently alive. CONCLUSION: XRT is an effective and reasonably safe means of controlling acromegalic activity. Its main disadvantages are the time required to achieve biochemical control and the development of anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies.

Surgical-pharmacological interactions in the treatment of acromegaly.

INTRODUCTION: Acromegaly requires a multimodal treatment approach that includes surgery by an expert pituitary neurosurgeon, pharmacological treatment with one or more of the available drugs and radiation therapy. These treatment alternatives are not mutually exclusive but rather complement each other when properly indicated in the individual patient. In this review, we summarize and analyze the available data concerning the choice of the surgical approach (microscopy vs. endoscopy) and the interactions between medical treatment with somatostatin analogs and pituitary surgery. AREAS COVERED: Technical aspects, complications and outcome of transsphenoidal surgery (TSS); Advantages and disadvantages of the microscopic and endoscopic approaches; Safety and efficacy of somatostatin analogs (SSA); Primary pharmacological therapy versus primary TSS; Benefits of the preoperative treatment with SSA; and the effect of surgical tumor debulking in the therapeutic response to SSA. EXPERT COMMENTARY: Continuing efforts at improving surgical techniques and at generating more efficacious pharmacological therapies for acromegaly are likely to improve the outcome of these patients. However, an integral approach of the patient aimed not only at achieving biochemical criteria of cure but also at treating the individual comorbidities is mandatory to improve the quality of life of these patients and to reduce their mortality rate.

Pegvisomanto para acromegalia / Pegvisomanto for acromegaly

CONTEXTO: A acromegalia é uma doença sistêmica crônica caracterizada pela produção excessiva de hormônio do crescimento (GH) após o fechamento das epífises e que pode ser causada por diferentes condições clínicas. O Ministério da Saúde elaborou e disponibilizou, por meio da Portaria nº 199, de 25 de fevereiro de 2013, Protocolo Clínico e Diretrizes Terapêuticas para o tratamento da doença e o SUS faz a oferta de toda a linha de cuidado prevista no referido protocolo, que inclui além de procedimento cirúrgico e radiológico, o tratamento por meio de medicamentos como os análogos da somatostatina (octreotida e lanreotida) e agonistas da dopamina. Atualmente, o medicamento pegvisomanto é indicado em bula para acromegálicos que apresentaram resposta inadequada à cirurgia e/ou à radioterapia e para aqueles pacientes cujo tratamento médico com análogos da somatostatina não normalizou as concentrações séricas de IGF-I ou não foi tolerado. A TECNOLOGIA: O pegvisomanto é produzido em E. Coli por tecnologia de DNA recombinante. É uma proteína contendo 191 resíduos de aminoácidos para os quais vários polímeros de polietilenoglicol (PEG) estão covalentemente ligados (predominantemente 4 a 6 PEG/molécula de proteína). O pegvisomanto é um análogo do hormônio de crescimento humano (GH) geneticamente modificado para agir como antagonista do receptor do hormônio de crescimento. O pegvisomanto liga-se seletivamente aos receptores do hormônio de crescimento na superfície das células, bloqueando a ligação do hormônio de crescimento endógeno, interferindo, dessa forma, na transdução do sinal intracelular do hormônio de crescimento. EVIDÊNCIAS CIENTÍFICAS: Foram analisados quatro estudos intervencionais e três observacionais por meio dos quais se avaliaram a intervenção de pegvisomanto em parâmetros bioquímicos de população heterogênea de pacientes acromegálicos com diferentes histórias e respostas a tratamentos prévios. Além disso, avaliaram-se também a influência do tratamento com pegvisomanto em sinais e sintomas clínicos da acromegalia como artralgia, pressão sanguínea e alguns parâmetros cardiovasculares. Observou-se, pela análise dos estudos intervencionais, que pegvisomanto normalizou os níveis sanguíneos de IGF-1 para a idade em 56 a 80% dos pacientes tratados com diferentes esquemas posológicos do medicamento em monoterapia e em associação. A influência do tratamento em sinais e sintomas da doença foi pouco expressiva e bastante heterogênea entre os pacientes recrutados para participar dos estudos. Da mesma forma observou-se pequena alteração na qualidade de vida de pacientes tratados no período de 7 a 27 meses. Em estudo observacional utilizado para acompanhar a evolução clínica de 1.288 pacientes com acromegalia e em tratamento com pegvisomanto por cinco anos observou-se taxa de normalização dos níveis sanguíneos de IGF-1 em pouco mais de 63% do grupo de pacientes acompanhados. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: A possibilidade de incorporação de pegvisomanto para o tratamento de acromegalia ao SUS foi avaliada em pelo menos dois momentos. Em uma primeira avaliação conduzida pela própria CONITEC, constatou-se não haver estudos com tempo de seguimento suficiente para que se determinasse a eficácia e segurança do medicamento em longo prazo, considerando a necessidade de uso crônico de pegvisomanto. Depois, em 2013, o Ministério da Saúde publicou protocolo clínico baseado em ampla revisão da literatura por meio do qual decidiu não incluir o medicamento ao arsenal ofertado para o tratamento medicamentoso da doença no SUS. Uma nova análise provocada pelo demandante nessa segunda submissão identificou que o medicamento é eficaz em estudos controlados quando se avaliam como desfechos a redução dos níveis sanguíneos de IGF-1 e o controle de alguns dos sinais e sintomas característicos da doença. DELIBERAÇÃO FINAL: Os membros da CONITEC presentes na reunião do plenário do dia 06/05/2015 deliberaram, por unanimidade, recomendar a não incorporação de pegvisomanto em monoterapia para o tratamento de acromegalia. DECISÃO: PORTARIA Nº 24, de 8 de junho de 2015 - Torna pública a decisão de não incorporar o pegvisomanto para tratamento da acromegalia no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS.

Growth of an aggressive tumor during pregnancy in an acromegalic patient.

Pregnancy in acromegalic patients is a rare event, but is usually uneventful, with stable GH and IGF-I levels and no tumor enlargement. Medical treatment can usually be withdrawn without problems and although no major adverse event has been reported, the suspension of drug treatments is generally recommended. No case report exists in the literature regarding evolution of a somatotropinoma with invasiveness markers throughout pregnancy. We report a case of an acromegalic patient who was submitted to surgery and treated with octreotide LAR maintaining a stable residual tumor and an IGF-I close to the normal levels. Her tumor presented with a high Ki-67 (11.6%) and a low aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) expression. When she became pregnant, octreotide LAR was withdrawn, and despite remaining asymptomatic during pregnancy, tumor growth occurred with compression of surrounding structures. In conclusion, pregnancy in acromegalic patients has usually a favorable prognosis with no tumor growth. However, in the presence of high Ki-67 labeling index and low AIP expression, tumor enlargement may occur and somatostatin analogue treatment throughout the pregnancy should be considered.

Efficacy and safety of radiotherapy in acromegaly.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Transsphenoidal surgery remains the treatment of choice in acromegaly, yet 40-50% of patients require secondary forms of therapy such as radiation therapy (RT) and somatostatin analogues (SA). We undertook this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RT in acromegaly. METHODS: Forty patients with acromegaly treated with RT (mean dose, 52 Gy) after failed pituitary surgery between 1993 and 2007 were analyzed; all were clinically and biochemically active. Patients were evaluated with yearly hormonal measurements [basal and glucose-suppressed growth hormone (GH), IGF-1, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4, cortisol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone or estradiol and prolactin (PRL)] and with magnetic resonance imaging every 2 years. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 52.9 ± 12.1 years and 85% were female. All subjects had been followed for 1 year, 75% for 3 years, 70% for 5 years and 35% for 10 years. The median basal GH level fell from a baseline of 8.8 ng/mL to 2.27 ng/mL at 5 years (p = 0.001) and to 1.88 ng/mL at 10 years (p = 0.001). A GH <1 ng/mL was achieved by 46% and 57% of the patients at 5 and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. The proportion of patients achieving a normal IGF-1 was 36% at 5 years and 43% at 10 years. Before RT, hypothyroidism, hypocortisolism and hypogonadism were present in 44%, 26% and 74% of patients, respectively. After 5 years of follow-up (n = 28), these figures increased to 51%, 41% and 79% and over a third of the group had panhypopituitarism. One patient developed optic neuritis and another patient was diagnosed with a meningioma 10 years after RT. No cerebrovascular events or deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: RT is an effective, low-cost and reasonably safe means of controlling acromegalic activity, particularly useful in parts of the world where SA are not readily available.

Discordant nadir GH after oral glucose and IGF-I levels on treated acromegaly: refining the biochemical markers of mild disease activity.

Biochemical markers for remission on acromegaly activity are controversial. We studied a subset of treated acromegalic patients with discordant nadir GH levels after oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) and IGF-I values to refine the current consensus on acromegaly remission. We also compared GH results by two GH immunoassays. From a cohort of 75 treated acromegalic patients, we studied 13 patients who presented an elevated IGF-I despite post-oGTT nadir GH of < or =1 microg/l. The 12-h daytime GH profile (GH-12 h), nadir GH after oGTT, and basal IGF-I levels were studied in patients and controls. Bland-Altman method showed high concordance between GH assays. Acromegalic patients showed higher mean GH-12 h values (0.71+/-0.36 vs. 0.31+/-0.28 microg/l; p<0.05) and nadir GH after oGTT (0.48+/-0.32 vs. 0.097+/-0.002 microg/l; p<0.05) as compared to controls. Nadir GH correlated with mean GH-12 h (r=0.92, p<0.05). The mean GH-12 h value from upper 95% CI of controls (0.54 microg/l) would correspond to a theoretical normal nadir GH of < or =0.27 microg/l. Patients with GH nadir < or =0.3 microg/l had IGF-I between 100-130% ULNR (percentage of upper limit of normal range) and mean GH-12 h of 0.35+/-0.15, and patients with GH nadir >0.3 and < or =1 microg/l had IGF-I >130% ULNR and mean GH-12 h of 0.93+/-0.24 microg/l. Our data integrate daytime GH secretion, nadir GH after oGTT, and plasma IGF-I concentrations showing a continuum of mild residual activity in a subgroup of treated acromegaly with nadir GH values < or =1 microg/l. The degree of increased IGF-I levels and nadir GH after oGTT are correlated with the subtle abnormalities of daytime GH secretion.

Optimizing medical therapy of acromegaly: beneficial effects of cabergoline in patients uncontrolled with long-acting release octreotide.

BACKGROUND: Previous data indicate a beneficial effect of cabergoline (CAB) association to somatostatin analogs (SA) in acromegalics resistant to SA monotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of CAB association on acromegalics with high IGF-I on stable long-acting release octreotide (OCT-LAR) (30 mg/28 days). DESIGN, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 34 patients (17 male, 25-85 years, 33 macroadenomas) were enrolled in this prospective study. OCT-LAR was administered as primary (n = 4) and as secondary (n = 30) treatment: after surgery (n = 16), after surgery + radiotherapy (RT) (n = 11), and after RT only (n = 3). Duration of OCT-LAR therapy prior to CAB was 24 +/- 12 months. The immunohistochemical features of the tumors disclosed GH/PRL co-secretion in 11/21 patients. 13 patients had high PRL levels prior to CAB. The initial CAB dose was 1.5 mg/week. No IGF-I normalization led to a dose increase to 3.5 mg/week. The OCT-LAR dose was kept stable during treatment. IGF-I, GH and PRL levels were compared before and after CAB association. OCT-LAR was withdrawn in patients who achieved IGF-I normalization, in order to assess the influence of CAB. RESULTS: Comparing OCT-LAR to OCT-LAR/CAB treatment, there was a significant decrease in mean GH, IGF-I, %ULNR-IGF-I and PRL levels. During OCT-LAR/CAB treatment, IGF-I normalized in 19 patients (56%). IGF-I normalization was correlated to lowest IGF-I levels on OCT-LAR monotherapy, but not to baseline PRL levels or GH/PRL co-expression. OCT-LAR withdrawn in all who had achieved IGF-I normalization on combined therapy resulted in IGF-I elevation to abnormal levels in all patients. Gastrointestinal symptoms were reported by 12 patients. CONCLUSION: OCT-LAR and CAB association has been shown to be an effective alternative therapy for those acromegalics who still have active acromegaly despite monotherapy with SA, mainly for those with lower pretreatment IGF-I concentrations. According to previous studies, the beneficial effects of CAB occur even when pretreatment PRL is normal and/or there is no tumor GH/PRL co-expression.

Treatment of acromegaly: is there still a place for radiotherapy?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of radiotherapy on acromegaly treatment. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: We followed retrospectively 99 acromegalic patients for at least one year after radiotherapy (RT). RT had been performed after unsuccessful surgery in 91 patients and as primary treatment in eight. Time elapsed between surgery and RT was 1.4 +/- 2.4 years. Mean follow-up after RT was 5.9 +/- 4.7 years (1-16 years). All patients were treated with linear accelerator, 89 by conventional (3240-6000 cGY) and ten by stereotactic RT. MEASUREMENTS: Biochemical remission was defined as GH < 2.5 ng/ml and IGF-I normalization. RESULTS: At latest follow-up, 54% of patients had serum GH level <2.5 ng/ml; 42% had normal IGF-I and 38% of patients achieved normalization of both. Controlled patients had lower baseline GH and IGF-I levels compared to uncontrolled ones. They achieved remission after 3.8 +/- 2.4 years, a significantly lower time length compared to maximum follow-up of uncontrolled (6.0 +/- 4.9 year). Results regarding GH and IGF-I levels were similar in patients treated either primarily or after surgery. No patient showed tumor growth. Visual field defects were observed in four, seizures in one, and mental disorders in two patients, although cognitive function were not properly assessed. At the last follow-up, 47% of patients had acquired at least one hormonal deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: There is still a place for RT in acromegaly treatment, mainly for: after non-curative surgery and poor response or inaccessibility to medical treatment; growth restraining of aggressive macroadenomas; co-morbidities that contraindicate surgery and surgery refusal. However, side effects and latency period to achieve disease control should be kept in mind.

Acromegalia, fisiopatología y clínica / Acromegaly, physiopathology and clinics

La acromegalia es comúnmente un cuadro de curso lento y progresivo que afecta los órganos y tejidos, determinando gran morbilidad y aumento de la mortalidad. Existen en la actualidad tratamientos quirúrgicos y radioterápicos satisfactorios y perspectivas en el futuro próximo de tratamientos médicos adecuados mediante agonistas de la somatostatina de acción prolongada. Los pacientes deben ser referidos para tratamiento en los centros especializados, aún cuando presenten un cuadro clínico aparentemente benigno

Tratamento da acromegalia: resultados em 12 pacientes / Treatment of acromegaly: results in 12 patients

O resultado do tratamento da acromegalia foi avaliado numa serie de 12 pacientes. Em 4 deles foi obtido nivel de GH inferior a 5ng/ml. Este resultado foi alcancado em um caso atraves da cirurgia transesfenoidal e em 3 casos com cirurgia seguida de radioterapia. O seguimentos dos pacientes apos radioterapia ainda permite a obtencao do nivel desejado de GH em maior numero de casos. O resultado aqui obtido esta relacionado a altos niveis de GH na epoca do diagnostico e ao tamanho dos adenomas. Estes dados reforcam a importancia de diagnosticar precocemente esta patologia, para obtencao de melhor resultado terapeutico e diminuicao de sua morbidade

Criteria for the cure of acromegaly: comparison between basal growth hormone and somatomedin C plasma concentrations in active and non-active acromegalic patients.

Fasting plasma growth hormone (GH) and somatomedin C (SmC) levels were compared as criteria for the cure of acromegaly in 7 untreated and 16 treated acromegalic patients studied 1 to 16 yr after pituitary surgery and/or radiotherapy. The patients without active disease presented a significant correlation between GH and SmC. Only when basal GH was lower than 2.5 ng/ml were SmC values within the normal range. The subjects with active acromegaly (both treated and untreated) presenting GH higher than 5 ng/ml did not show any correlation between GH and SmC levels.