AcromegalySymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a condition in which there is too much growth hormone (GH) in your body.
Somatotroph adenoma; Growth hormone excess; Growth hormone secreting pituitary adenoma; Pituitary giant (in childhood)
Acromegaly is a rare condition. It is caused when the pituitary gland makes too much GH. The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland attached to the bottom of the brain. It regulates, makes, and releases several hormones, including GH.
Usually, a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland releases too much GH. In rare cases, pituitary tumors can be inherited.
In children, too much GH causes gigantism rather than acromegaly.
Symptoms of acromegaly may include any of the following:
- Body odor
- Blood in the stool
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Decreased muscle strength (weakness)
- Decreased peripheral vision
- Dental problems, gaps between the teeth
- Easy fatigue
- Enlarged tongue
- Excessive height (when excess GH production begins in childhood)
- Excessive sweating
- Headache
- Heart enlargement, which can cause fainting or shortness of breath
- Hoarseness
- Jaw pain
- Joint pain, limited joint movement, swelling of the bony areas around a joint
- Large bones of the face, large jaw and tongue, widely spaced teeth
- Large feet (change in shoe size), large hands (change in ring or glove size)
- Large glands in the skin (sebaceous glands) causing oily skin, thickening of the skin, skin tags (growths)
- Sleep apnea
- Widened fingers or toes, with swelling, redness, and pain
Other symptoms that may occur with this disease:
- Colon polyps
- Excess hair growth in females (hirsutism)
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Thyroid enlargement
- Weight gain
Surgery to remove the pituitary tumor that is causing this condition often corrects the abnormal GH level. Sometimes, the tumor is too large to be removed completely and acromegaly is not cured. In this case, medicines and radiation (radiotherapy) may be used to treat acromegaly.
Some people with tumors that are too complicated to remove by surgery are treated with medicines instead of surgery. These medicines may block the production of GH from the pituitary gland or prevent the action of GH in other parts of the body.
After treatment, you will need to see your provider regularly to make sure that the pituitary gland is working normally and that acromegaly does not come back. Yearly evaluations are usually recommended.
Endocrinology - Froedtert Hospital
Dr. Ioachimescu is recognized as an international expert in pituitary disorders, including rare diseases such as acromegaly and Cushing’s disease. After co-founding and directing the Emory Pituitary Center in Atlanta for 16 years, Dr. Ioachimescu joined the faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2023 with the goal of developing a successful academic multidisciplinary tertiary referral center at Froedtert.Due to her longstanding contribution to clinical care and research, she participated to international consensus guidelines on prolactinoma, Cushing’s disease, acromegaly and genetics of pituitary adenomas. She authored more than 100 publications and presented at national and international meetings such as American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), Endocrine Society and North American Skull Base Society. She is passionate about clinical research and has an active investigator-initiated portfolio dedicated to personalized treatment of patients with pituitary tumors. She also has a long track record of involvement in multicentric clinical trials that unveiled novel therapies for Cushing’s disease and acromegaly. Dr. Ioachimescu is passionate about medical education, and is currently the Education Oversight Committee chair of AACE, a writer for the Endocrine Self-Assessment Program and an associate editor of Pituitary and Endocrine Reviews journals.Dr. Ioachimescu loves outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing. Dr. Ioachimescu is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acromegaly. She is also highly rated in 37 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Pituitary Tumor, Prolactinoma, Cushing's disease, Endoscopic Transnasal Transsphenoidal Surgery, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Dr. Ioachimescu is board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes And Metabolism. Dr. Ioachimescu is currently accepting new patients.
Massachusetts General Hospital Neuroendocrine & Pituitary Tumor Clinical Center
Lisa Nachtigall is an Endocrinologist practicing medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Nachtigall is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acromegaly. She is also highly rated in 35 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Acromegaly, Hypertrichosis-Acromegaloid Facial Appearance Syndrome, Acromegaloid Facial Appearance Syndrome, and Pituitary Tumor.
CUIMC/Harkness Pavilion
Pamela Freda is an Oncologist practicing medicine in New York, New York. Dr. Freda is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acromegaly. She is also highly rated in 21 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Acromegaly, Acromegaloid Facial Appearance Syndrome, Hypertrichosis-Acromegaloid Facial Appearance Syndrome, and Pituitary Tumor.
More information and support for people with acromegaly and their families can be found at:
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases -- www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/acromegaly
- National Organization for Rare Disorders -- rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/acromegaly/
Pituitary surgery is successful in most people, depending on the size of the tumor and the experience of the neurosurgeon with pituitary tumors.
Without treatment, the symptoms will get worse. Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease may result.
Surgery and radiation treatment may lead to low levels of other pituitary hormones. This can cause any of the following conditions:
- Adrenal insufficiency (adrenal glands do not produce enough of their hormones)
- Diabetes insipidus (extreme thirst and excessive urination in rare cases)
- Hypogonadism (body's sex glands produce little or no hormones)
- Hypothyroidism (thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone)
Contact your provider if:
- You have symptoms of acromegaly
- Your symptoms do not improve with treatment
Acromegaly cannot be prevented. Early treatment may prevent the disease from getting worse and help to avoid complications.
Summary: There is a variety of tumors affecting the pituitary gland in childhood; some of these tumors (eg craniopharyngioma) are included among the most common central nervous system tumors in childhood. The gene(s) involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors are largely not known; their possible association with other developmental defects or inheritance pattern(s) has not been investigated. The present...
Summary: The purpose of this study is to collect long-term (up to two years) safety and effectiveness of octreotide subcutaneous depot in patients with acromegaly in the real-world setting.
Published Date: April 24, 2025
Published By: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Katznelson L, Laws ER Jr, Melmed S, et al. Acromegaly: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(11):3933-3951. PMID: 25356808 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25356808/.
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Melmed S, Casanueva FF. Pituitary adenomas and masses. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Rosen CJ, Kopp PA, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 15th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 7.
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