TREATMENT & MONITORING
It varies by person and level of severity.
In addition to a full physical exam and a consult around symptoms, a medical evaluation may include the following steps to diagnose acromegaly:
Steps:
An IGF-1 measurement
Growth hormone suppression test
Imaging e.g. IMR
TESTS & DIAGNOSIS
Screening and diagnosis of acromegaly algorithm. *Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and heart disease of uncertain aetiology; **Complaints of headache, obstructive sleep apnoea, colonic polyps, large joint pains, carpal tunnel syndrome, sweaty/oily hands, multiple skin tags; § Please see text below for more information; ¶ Refer to centres with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to management of acromegaly that includes endocrinologists, neurosurgeon and radiologist, and if available a radiation oncologist. IGF-1: insulin like growth factor-1; OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; CT: computed tomography scan.
MANAGEMENT
Management and monitoring of acromegaly patients. *Refer to centres with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to management of acromegaly that includes endocrinologists, neurosurgeon and radiologist, and if available a radiation oncologist; ** Refer to section on monitoring for details. MDT: multi-disciplinary team; DA: dopamine agonist; SRL: somatostatin receptor ligands; IGF-1: insulin like growth factor-1; GH: growth hormone
Treatment
Regarding treatment, the goal is to restore the pituitary gland to normal function, producing normal levels of growth hormone. Surgery to remove the pituitary tumour is the treatment recommended for most patients with acromegaly; but while surgery is successful in many patients, some will see their levels of GH and IGF-1 remain too high even after surgery.
Non-surgical treatments may include radiation therapy, and injection of growth hormone blocking medications. But left untreated, acromegaly can lead to worsening diabetes mellitus and hypertension, among other risks.
In the treatment of acromegaly today...UNMET NEEDS EXIST.
Surgery
Recommendations:
1. In most patients diagnosed with acromegaly, surgery is the recommended first line treatment followed by medical therapy and RT, should surgery not be curative. 1,2,29
2. Well-coordinated multidisciplinary team approach in the surgical management of acromegaly can offer optimal treatment with better outcomes and lower morbidity.1
3. Trans-sphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the treatment of choice.
4. Recommended imaging modality of choice for pre-operative evaluation is MRI.
5. Selective adenomectomy via trans-sphenoidal-trans-nasal route is the preferred technique.
6. Image Guided Surgery protocol is strongly recommended when normal anatomical landmarks are altered or destroyed.
7. Vascularised mucoperiosteum-mucoperichondrium nasoseptal flap is the preferred choice when reconstruction of the sellar defect is required.
Medical Therapy
Recommendations:
1. SRL is recommended as secondary (adjuvant) therapy in the presence of residual disease without mass effects after primary surgery. 1,2,25
2. SRL is used as primary therapy when surgical cure is unlikely or patients are unfit or refuse surgery. 1,2
3. DA may be used when there are modest elevations in IGF-1.
4. Combination treatment with SRL and DA is recommended in patients who have only partial control with SRL monotherapy.
5. Second generation SRL (pasireotide LAR) should be considered when octreotide LAR or lanreotide alone or in combination with cabergoline fail to control IGF-1.
Radiotherapy
Recommendations:
1. Fractionated RT should be delivered using 3-D conformal radiation technique with CT of pituitary image acquisition.
2. Dose of fractionated RT with 1.8-2 Gray (Gy) per day (up to a total dose of 54 Gy) is recommended.
3. IMRT and FSRT are preferred, as it significantly reduces dose of radiation to normal tissues and incidence of long-term toxicities.
4. SRS is preferred if available. There must be a minimum distance of tumour to optic chiasma of 3 mm and a margin dose of 18-25 Gy is recommended.
5. Interruption of somatostatin analogue during RT should not be routinely adopted in our setting.
Monitoring
Recommendations:
1. IGF-1 and random GH levels are recommended at 12 weeks post-surgery. If discordance present, repeat in 3-4 months.
2. First MRI pituitary should be 3-4 months post-surgery.
3. In presence of pre-operative visual field defects, repeat testing should be done regularly post-surgery.
4. IGF-1 and random GH levels monitoring are recommended for patients on SRL and/or DA. Monitor levels 4-6 weeks after any dose change.
5. IGF-1 and GH levels as well as pituitary function should be monitored annually in patients undergoing RT.
6. Regular assessment of co-morbidities and complications must be done.
DIAGNOSIS
REDUCTION
REDUCTION
Hyperglycaemia can occur in patients treated with Pasireotide24:
Hyperglycaemia is reversible upon Pasireotide discontinuation25
Metformin alone or in combination with other anti-diabetic medication may help control elevations in glucose levels that may occur with Pasireotide treatment25,†
Most patients who had hyperglycaemia were able to achieve the American Diabetes Association Goal of 7% with medical management25
Key elements in addressing hyperglycaemia include close monitoring, patient education, and prompt action25
There have been post marketing cases of ketoacidosis with Pasireotide in patients with history of diabetes and in patients without history of diabetes. Assess patients who present with signs and symptoms consistent with ketoacidosis during Pasireotide treatment3
*Importantly, in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, optimize anti-diabetic treatment before starting Pasireotide3
References
Gatto F, Barbieri F, Arvigo M, et al. Biological and biochemical basis of the differential efficacy of first and second generation somatostatin receptor ligands in neuroendocrine neoplasms. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(16):3940. 2. Poullot A-G, Chevalier N. New options in the treatment of Cushing’s disease: a focus on pasireotide. Res Rep Endocr Disord. 2013;3:31-38. 3. SIGNIFOR LAR (pasireotide) for injectable suspension, for intramuscular use [prescribing information]. Lebanon, NJ: Recordati Rare Diseases Inc.; 2020. 4. Acromegaly. UCLA Health System. https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/surgery/endocrine-surgery/patient-resources/patient-education/endocrine-surgery-encyclopedia/acromegaly. Accessed August 23, 2022. 5. Malaysia Consensus Statement for The Diagnosis and Management of Acromegaly 1st Edition. https://mems.my/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Acromegaly-manuscript-and-booklet_20190705_v21_FINAL.pdf. Published July 05, 2019. Accessed Dec 23, 2024. 6. Christofides EA. Clinical importance of achieving biochemical control with medical therapy in adult patients with acromegaly. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2016;10:1217-1225. 7. Acromegaly. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/acromegaly. Accessed August 23, 2022. 8. Carmichael JD, Bonert VS, Nu.o M, Ly D, Melmed S. Acromegaly clinical trial methodology impact on reported biochemical efficacy rates of somatostatin receptor ligand treatments: a meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(5):1825-1833. 9. Carroll PV, Jenkins PJ. Acromegaly. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al, eds. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth, MA: MDText.com, Inc.; 2016 10. Giustina A, Barkhoudarian G, Beckers A, et al. Multidisciplinary management of acromegaly: A consensus. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2020;21(4):667-678. 11. Katznelson L, Laws ER Jr, Melmed S, et al. Endocrine Society Acromegaly: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(11):3933-3951. 12. Lavrentaki A, Paluzzi A, Wass JA, Karavitaki N. Epidemiology of acromegaly: review of population studies. Pituitary. 2017;20(1):4-9. 13. SOMATULINE® DEPOT (lanreotide) injection, for subcutaneous use [prescribing information]. Cambridge, MA: Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2019 14. SANDOSTATIN LAR DEPOT (octreotide acetate) for injectable suspension, for gluteal intramuscular use [prescribing information]. East Hanover, NJ: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; 2021. 15. Coopmans EC, Muhammad A, van der Lely AD, et al. How to position pasireotide LAR treatment in acromegaly. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;104(6):1978-1988. 16. Shanik MH, Cao PD, Ludlam WH. Historical response rates of somatostatin analogues in the treatment of acromegaly: a systematic review. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(3):350-356. 17. Casar-Borota O, Heck A, Schulz S, et al. Expression of SSTR2a, but not of SSTRs 1, 3, or 5 in somatotroph adenomas assessed by monoclonal antibodies was reduced by octreotide and correlated with the acute and long-term effects of octreotide. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(11):E1730-E1739. 18. Silverstein JM. Hyperglycemia induced by pasireotide in patients with Cushing’s disease or acromegaly. Pituitary. 2016;19:536-543. 19. Zambre Y, Ling Z, Chen MC, et al. Inhibition of human pancreatic islet insulin release by receptor-selective somatostatin analogs directed to somatostatin receptor subtype 5. Biochem Pharmacol. 1999;57(10):1159-1164. 20. Singh V, Brendel MD, Zacharias S, et al. Characterization of somatostatin receptor subtype-specific regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion: an in vitro study on isolated human pancreatic islets. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92(2):673-680. 21. Breitschaft A, Hu K, Hermosillo Res.ndiz K, Darstein C, Golor G. Management of hyperglycemia associated with pasireotide (SOM230): healthy volunteer study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014;103(3):458-465. 22. Henry RR, Ciaraldi TP, Armstrong D, Burke P, Ligueros-Saylan M, Mudaliar S. Hyperglycemia associated with pasireotide: results from a mechanistic study in healthy volunteers. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98(8):3446-3453. 23. Gadelha MR, Bronstein MD, Brue T, et al. Pasireotide versus continued treatment with octreotide or lanreotide in patients with inadequately controlled acromegaly (PAOLA): a randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;2(11):875-884. 24. Colao A, Bronstein MD, Freda P, et al. Pasireotide versus octreotide in acromegaly: a head-to-head superiority study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(3):791-799. 25. Gadelha MR, Gu F, Bronstein MD, et al. Risk factors and management of pasireotide-associated hyperglycemia in acromegaly. Endocr Connect. 2020;9(12):1178-1190. 26. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2020 Abridged for Primary Care Providers. Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(1):10-38. doi:10.2337/cd20-as01. 27. Samson SL, Gu F, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Zhang S, Yu Y, et al. Managing pasireotide-associated hyperglycemia: a randomized, open-label, Phase IV study. Pituitary. 2021;24(6):887-903.
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