Enlarged feet, hands, ears and nose are the main symptoms of acromegaly. Although the disease is visible at first glance, the main problem is still correct and early diagnosis. In Poland, it suffers from around 2 thousand. people. Statistics show that it affects women as well as men. As experts under the “Acromegaly – pay attention!” Campaign emphasize an early diagnosis can be successfully treated, while its diagnosis can take years.
- Acromegaly is caused by the excess secretion of growth hormone
- It affects 40 to 60 people per million
- What distinguishes acromegaly patients the most are the changes that take place in their appearance.
Acromegaly is a systemic disease, the main symptoms are the enlargement of the hands and feet, which is very important compared to the rest of the body. Morphological symptoms such as enlargement of the ear, tongue, nose, widening of the interdental gaps. All these elements make our facial features change. Soft tissue enlargement, cardiovascular disorders, hypertension – all these symptoms result in the fact that patients live much shorter lives. 60 percent patients die of complications from the cardiovascular system. Patients live 10-12 years shorter, so it is worth paying attention to this disease – emphasizes prof. Marek Ruchała, head of the Department and Clinic of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases at the Medical University of Poznań, president of the Polish Society of Endocrinology.
However, the visible symptoms of the disease do not affect the diagnosis time, which in Poland takes 10 years on average. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is still a matter of chance.
– In Poland, the diagnosis of acromegaly takes an average of 10 years. The disease progresses slowly. The delay in diagnosis is 7-10 years. During this time, numerous complications of this disease develop, and, on the other hand, the tumor grows. The bigger it is, i.e. the later it is diagnosed, the more difficult it is to remove. The patient’s features change not only, but the same happens with his interior. The heart is enlarged, internal organs are overgrown, and further complications develop, such as hypertension, diabetes, and bone changes. It should also be remembered that a high concentration of growth hormone will result in a faster course of cancer formation – emphasizes prof. Wojciech Zgliczyński, head of the Clinic of Endocrinology at the CMKP at the Bielański Hospital in Warsaw.
Treatment of acromegaly
The first – simple and cheap – test that should be performed when acromegaly is suspected is the assessment of the concentration of the growth factor IGF-1 in the blood (its level is elevated in patients).
A test for inhibition of growth hormone secretion after administration of glucose is also performed. Treatment is carried out by an endocrinologist, consulting doctors of other specialties.
The basic method of treatment is removal of the tumor through the nose and sphenoid sinus performed in a specialized neurosurgical center. Apart from that, medications are administered and, possibly, irradiated. Complications such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer also need to be treated.
Early treatment is effective in inhibiting the progression of the disease. The trick is to recognize her in time.