Surgery, medications, and radiation are the common treatment options for acromegaly. Your medical condition, age, size and location of tumor decide which treatment option is best suited for you. There is no single effective treatment that suits everybody.
<p><strong>Treatments and Medications for Acromegaly</strong></p>
<p>New York (USA), June 21, 2013</p>
<p><strong>Treatments Options for Acromegaly</strong></p>
<p>Surgery, medications, and radiation are the common treatment options for acromegaly. Your medical condition, age, size and location of tumor decide which treatment option is best suited for you.</p>
<p><strong>Acromegaly Treatments</strong></p>
<p><strong>Surgery:</strong> Pituitary tumors can be removed through trans-sphenoidal surgery. Surgeon extracts tumor through a small incision on back wall of your nose. Once removed, your GH levels drop to normal levels. However, large tumors cannot be removed completely and hence GH levels do not fall down. Follow-up medications and radiation treatment are essential.</p>
<p><strong>Medications:</strong> If your medical condition does not allow surgery, if GH levels continue to be high after surgery, or if your tumor is too big, medications are the best way to treat your acromegaly. They reduce GH levels and restrict growth of tumor. You should continue medications for life. Medications include:</p>
<p>&#8211; Somatostatin analogues or SSAs like lanreotide (Somatuline Depot), octreotide (Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR) block excess secretion of pituitary gland and shrink tumors. Common side effects include diarrhea, intestinal cramping, pain at injection site, and gallbladder problems.<br />
&#8211; Growth hormone receptor antagonists or GHRAs like pegvisomant (Somavert) normalize IGF-I levels. However, these cannot reduce tumor size or lower growth hormone levels. Common side effects include diarrhea, fatigue, headache, and nausea.<br />
&#8211; Dopamine agonists like bromocriptine (Parlodel) and Cabergoline (Dostinex) are available in pill form. Since these are comparatively less effective, they are combined with other medications. Common side effects include intestinal cramps, nausea, and headache.</p>
<p><strong>Radiation:</strong> It reduces growth hormone levels and shrinks tumor. Conventional radiation therapy is spread over five days each week for four to six weeks. GH levels normalize in around a decade. Stereotactic radiation therapy is a strong treatment option delivered in single or multiple sessions spread across few weeks. GH levels normalize in three to five years.</p>
<p><strong>Medications for Acromegaly</strong></p>
<p>There is no single effective treatment that suits everybody. Normally acromegaly symptoms like headaches, vision distortion, and sweating disappear after successful treatment. Excess bone growth cannot be reversed but further growth is controlled. Life expectancy can be same as that of a normal person.</p>
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