open access

Vol 57, No 1 (2006)
Case report
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2006-03-20
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Five year remission of GHRH secreting bronchial neuroendocrine tumor with symptoms of acromegaly. Utility of chromogranin A in the monitoring of the disease

Marek Bolanowski, Beata Kos-Kudła, Marta Rzeszutko, Marek Marciniak, Katarzyna Zatońska
Endokrynol Pol 2006;57(1):32-36.

open access

Vol 57, No 1 (2006)
Case report
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2006-03-20

Abstract

Acromegaly is usually caused by excess GH (growth hormone) secretion by pituitary adenoma. Extremely rare (< 1% of cases) acromegaly can be a result of ectopic GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone) secretion by bronchial tubes, lung, pancreatic or intestinal tumor. The aim of this description is to present the case of successfully treated acromegaly caused by ectopic GHRH secretion by bronchial neuroendocrine tumor and the usefulness of chromogranin A assay in the disease monitoring. The diagnosis of acromegaly in 61-year old woman was based on typical clinical picture and elevated GH and IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1) levels. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) images revealed no tumor in the pituitary but only the pituitary enlargement. Moreover, the right lung tumor (10 cm size) and elevated GHRH level were documented. The secretion of GH, IGF-1 and GHRH were normalized and progression of acromegaly was stopped after the carcinoid tumor surgery. Currently, 5 year after surgery, acromegaly is still in the remission, as the normal levels of GH, IGF-1, chromogranin A and normal chest and pituitary images confirm. The authors emphasize usefulness of measurement of chromogranin A concentration for the evaluation of the tumor remission in case the routine GHRH assay is not accessible.

Abstract

Acromegaly is usually caused by excess GH (growth hormone) secretion by pituitary adenoma. Extremely rare (< 1% of cases) acromegaly can be a result of ectopic GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone) secretion by bronchial tubes, lung, pancreatic or intestinal tumor. The aim of this description is to present the case of successfully treated acromegaly caused by ectopic GHRH secretion by bronchial neuroendocrine tumor and the usefulness of chromogranin A assay in the disease monitoring. The diagnosis of acromegaly in 61-year old woman was based on typical clinical picture and elevated GH and IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1) levels. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) images revealed no tumor in the pituitary but only the pituitary enlargement. Moreover, the right lung tumor (10 cm size) and elevated GHRH level were documented. The secretion of GH, IGF-1 and GHRH were normalized and progression of acromegaly was stopped after the carcinoid tumor surgery. Currently, 5 year after surgery, acromegaly is still in the remission, as the normal levels of GH, IGF-1, chromogranin A and normal chest and pituitary images confirm. The authors emphasize usefulness of measurement of chromogranin A concentration for the evaluation of the tumor remission in case the routine GHRH assay is not accessible.
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Keywords

acromegaly; ectopic GHRH; neuroendocrine tumor; chromogranin A

About this article
Title

Five year remission of GHRH secreting bronchial neuroendocrine tumor with symptoms of acromegaly. Utility of chromogranin A in the monitoring of the disease

Journal

Endokrynologia Polska

Issue

Vol 57, No 1 (2006)

Article type

Case report

Pages

32-36

Published online

2006-03-20

Page views

591

Article views/downloads

1991

Bibliographic record

Endokrynol Pol 2006;57(1):32-36.

Keywords

acromegaly
ectopic GHRH
neuroendocrine tumor
chromogranin A

Authors

Marek Bolanowski
Beata Kos-Kudła
Marta Rzeszutko
Marek Marciniak
Katarzyna Zatońska

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