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​Acromegaly Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Acromegaly is when high levels of growth hormone cause bones and soft tissues to grow more than they should.


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What Is Acromegaly? 

Acromegaly is a disorder that starts when a tumor in your pituitary gland makes too much growth hormone during adulthood. This leads to an increase in bone size, specifically of the hands, feet, and face.

Since symptoms can occur over time, and not all at once, acromegaly is often misdiagnosed.

Is acromegaly the same as gigantism?

Gigantism and acromegaly are serious health issues.

Gigantism is when growth hormone hypersecretion begins in childhood or adolescence, before growth plates close in the long bones (arms and legs). People with gigantism may be tall or obese, and their hands and feet may grow in a way that is not normal. They may also have coarse facial features.

In acromegaly, the secretion of too much growth hormone occurs in adulthood. It happens most often between ages 20 and 50, after the bony growth plates close. People with acromegaly may notice growth in their face or hands, even though changes are throughout the body.

What causes acromegaly?

Acromegaly happens most often when a tumor forms in the pituitary gland. But an injection of growth hormone can also cause acromegaly.

What are acromegaly risk factors and complications? 

Acromegaly risk factors

Middle-aged adults are most at risk for getting acromegaly, but it can form at any age.

When tumors that over-produce growth hormone form in children or adolescents, before their growth plates close, they have gigantism, not acromegaly. The hormone causes them to grow much taller than normal.

Complications of acromegaly

Complications of acromegaly may include:

Some acromegaly complications can also be life-threatening, such as:

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Acromegaly?

Signs and symptoms of acromegaly may include:

  • Deepening voice and enlarged tongue.
  • Excessive sweating.
  • Fatigue.
  • Growth of the hands and feet (your rings or shoes may no longer fit).
  • Protrusion of forehead and jaw.
  • Separation of teeth.
  • Severe acne, skin tags, and thickening skin.

When should I see a doctor about my acromegaly symptoms?

If you are having acromegaly symptoms, it is crucial to talk to your doctor so they can decide the best treatment plan for you.

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How Do You Diagnose Acromegaly?

To diagnose acromegaly, your doctor will:

  • Ask about your symptoms and medical history.
  • Do a physical exam.
  • Order blood and imaging tests.

Blood tests will measure the hormones the pituitary gland makes, such as growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), and other pituitary hormones.

Your doctor might also order:

  • A glucose tolerance test to see if the level of growth hormone drops. If you have acromegaly, the hormone will not drop.
  • An MRI or CT scan of your head to look for a tumor in your pituitary gland.

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How Do You Treat Acromegaly?

Without treatment, acromegaly can cause serious health problems and may be fatal.

The goal of treatment is to:

  • Correct any issues with your thyroid, adrenal gland, and sex organs.
  • Remove or reduce the size of your pituitary tumor.
  • Reduce how much growth hormone your body makes so it's at a normal level.
  • Screen for complications, such as with a colonoscopy or cardiac echo.
  • Stop and reverse symptoms from having too much growth hormone.

Based on your symptoms, UPMC's neurosurgical team may suggest both surgical and nonsurgical treatments.

Minimally invasive surgery for acromegaly

For most cases of acromegaly, the best treatment is to remove the pituitary tumor (adenoma) causing the high levels of growth hormone.

The best surgical treatment for acromegaly is the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA) to remove the pituitary tumor. This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach lets surgeons access the pituitary tumor through your nose, without making an incision. Surgeons also remove the pituitary tumor through the nose and nasal cavities.

Surgeons will leave and explore the normal pituitary gland and structures around it, like the arteries, veins, and nerves. They will also check for other lesions and remove any tissue that is not normal.

Pros of EEA include:

  • Faster recovery time.
  • More access to invasive or previously incurable tumors pituitary tumors.
  • No disfigurement.
  • No incisions to heal.

Other needed treatments, such as radiosurgery or medicine, can begin soon after EEA surgery.

Gamma Knife® radiosurgery for acromegaly

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a technique that uses highly focused radiation beams to target tumors and lesions in the brain. There is no incision or pain involved.

For acromegaly, our neurosurgeons use the Gamma Knife for:

  • Elevated growth hormone levels, even after surgery, treatment, and health management.
  • Tumor left after surgery.

As the nation's leading provider of Gamma Knife techniques, UPMC has treated more than 12,000 people with tumors, vascular malformations, pain, and other functional problems.

Medicine for managing acromegaly

Our neuroendocrinologists, who specialize in diagnosing and treating pituitary tumors, may prescribe medicine to:

  • Manage your issue if surgery is unsuccessful or is too high risk with your other health problems.
  • Reduce how much growth hormone your pituitary gland makes.
  • Stop the growth hormone from being active in your body.

People with acromegaly should follow up on a regular basis with a neuroendocrinologist. Your doctor will screen you for side effects from the excess growth hormone and to make sure your symptoms do not recur.

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By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-10-01.