Acromegaly

Blake Webber, Katy Elliott, Tessa

Weisenberger and Jonah Wenzlick

What is Acromegaly?
- Caused by the overproduction of growth
hormone made by the pituitary gland
- Causes abnormally large
hands
feet
face

Signs and Symptoms:

-

Headaches and partial loss of vision

Enlarged hands and feet
Skin tags
Skin changes, such as the skin becoming
more oily and thicker.

Detecting Acromegaly
- Blood tests can determine if the GH
(growth hormone) is too high.
- Imaging can locate a pituitary tumor,
pituitary tumors make the glands create
too much of the growth hormone.

Tanya Angus
-

Sex: Female
Height: 611
Weight: 392.4 lbs.
Diagnosed with
Acromegaly at the age
of 21

Recent Medical Signs and Symptoms

- Tanyas sister noticed a
significant change in the
size of her hands
- Tanya was beginning to
gain weight
- Ended up going to see a
pediatrician

Pathophysiology
-

Tanyas tissues began to grow- her body

parts became larger than normal.

The phalanges, metacarpals, tarsals, and

many other long bones were affected.

Her skin became oily, she had enlarged lips,

nose and tongue, joint aches, excessive
sweating, and a deepened voice.

This all occurs due to large amounts of

growth hormone being produced due to a
pituitary tumor.

Medical Tests
- Tanya had a blood test done and an X-ray. She
also went to the eye doctor.
- Her eye doctor noticed the vision in her right eye
was being affected.
- Tanya Angus tested for an above normal GH level
and a pituitary tumor was found.

Pituitary Tumors are

found towards the back
of the skull, right by the
brain.

Treatments
- Surgery and Radiation can both be used to remove the
pituitary tumor.
- Tanyas tumor was located on her carotid artery, and was
inoperable.
- Somatostatin analog (Octreotide, Lanreotide) is an
injection you can receive, which can shrink the tumors 3050%.
- Keep growing larger if tumor is not removed, you can also
develop high blood pressure and heart disease.

Nutritional Supplements
To help regain and keep the
skeletons health:
- Avoid eating unhealthy
foods
- Exercise regularly
- Get regular blood tests
- Get regular eye
checkups.

- After 3 surgeries and radiation,

Tanya was still not cured.
- One surgery caused a stroke and
she lost most hearing.
- Organs continued to grow as well.
- Passed away at the age of 34 due
to heart failure caused by extreme
pressure.
- Known to have worst case of
acromegaly.

Prognosis
Through the next sixth months after surgery:
- Damage can affect the surrounding normal pituitary tissue, which
requires lifelong use of pituitary hormone replacement.
- Radiation therapy is usually reserved for people who have some tumor
remaining after surgery and do not respond to medications.
Throughout life:
- Check-ups a few times a year to check progress
- Lives are shortened because the tumor and the treatment destroys
vital brain tissue.

Works Cited

Acromegaly. (2013). Retrieved from http://acromegaly.org/en/

Acromegaly. (2014, December 15). Retrieved from http://www.medindia.
net/patients/patientinfo/acromegaly.htm
Acromegaly and somavert (pegvisomant) injection . (2012). Retrieved from
https://www.optumrx.com/vgnlive/CHP/Assets/PDF/Somavert Handout.pdf
Gigantism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pituitary.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=83
National endocrine and metabolic diseases information service (nemdis). (2012,
April 6th). Retrieved from http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/acro/acro.aspx
Swaminathan, N. (2008, August 14). What causes gigantism?. Retrieved from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-gigantism-sandy-allen/
Tanya Angus. (2013, January 15th). Retrieved from http://www.tanyaangus.com/