» Articles » PMID: 25052731

The Role of Colonoscopic Screening in Acromegaly Revisited: Review of Current Literature and Practice Guidelines

Overview
Journal Pituitary
Specialty Endocrinology
Date 2014 Jul 24
PMID 25052731
Citations 17
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Introduction: Acromegaly is a chronic, debilitating and disfiguring condition with a significantly increased morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular, as well as respiratory complications. Patients with acromegaly are usually diagnosed at the age of 40, however, the duration of symptoms can vary from 5 to 10 years before the formal diagnosis is confirmed. Recent advances in the field of acromegaly have improved survival significantly. A strong association between acromegaly and premalignant colonic lesions and colon cancer has been highlighted. Furthermore, patients with acromegaly have a greater lifetime risk of malignant transformation and a far worse overall prognosis from colorectal cancer, which is now considered a major disease related complication.

Materials And Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was applied for the Medline/PubMed electronic database from its inception until April 2014. We considered all human research articles published in English, not classified as case report, editorial, comment, letter, or news.

Conclusion: Specific recommendations for large bowel endoscopic screening in patients with acromegaly have been proposed. In this comprehensive review we discuss the current state of knowledge and evidence on colonoscopic screening in patients with acromegaly illustrated by a case of aggressive colorectal cancer presenting late in a young woman with difficult to control acromegaly.

Citing Articles

Cancer screening in patients with acromegaly: a plea for a personalized approach and international registries.

Demarchis L, Chiloiro S, Giampietro A, De Marinis L, Bianchi A, Fleseriu M Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2025; .

PMID: 40088375 DOI: 10.1007/s11154-025-09957-6.


Practical therapeutic approach in the management of diabetes mellitus secondary to Cushing's syndrome, acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumours.

Guarnotta V, Emanuele F, Salzillo R, Bonsangue M, Amato C, Mineo M Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023; 14:1248985.

PMID: 37842314 PMC: 10569460. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1248985.


Growth hormone and gastrointestinal malignancy: An intriguing link.

Palui R, Sridharan K, Kamalanathan S, Sahoo J, Naik D World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2023; 14(1):1-11.

PMID: 36743656 PMC: 9896462. DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.v14.i1.1.


Follow, consider, and catch: second primary tumors in acromegaly patients.

Oguz S, Firlatan B, Sendur S, Dagdelen S, Erbas T Endocrine. 2022; 80(1):160-173.

PMID: 36517649 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03282-7.


Clinical Characteristics and Associated Factors of Colonic Polyps in Acromegaly.

Peng G, Li X, Zhou Y, Bai J, Hong P, Li W Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2022; 130(11):714-722.

PMID: 36075228 PMC: 9678439. DOI: 10.1055/a-1913-7900.


References
1.
Colao A, Balzano A, Ferone D, Panza N, Grande G, Marzullo P . Increased prevalence of colonic polyps and altered lymphocyte subset pattern in the colonic lamina propria in acromegaly. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1997; 47(1):23-8. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.1997.00253.x. View

2.
Jenkins P, Besser M . Clinical perspective: acromegaly and cancer: a problem. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 86(7):2935-41. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.86.7.7634. View

3.
Terzolo M, Reimondo G, Gasperi M, Cozzi R, Pivonello R, Vitale G . Colonoscopic screening and follow-up in patients with acromegaly: a multicenter study in Italy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004; 90(1):84-90. DOI: 10.1210/jc.2004-0240. View

4.
Cairns S, Scholefield J, Steele R, Dunlop M, Thomas H, Evans G . Guidelines for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance in moderate and high risk groups (update from 2002). Gut. 2010; 59(5):666-89. DOI: 10.1136/gut.2009.179804. View

5.
Veysey M, Thomas L, Mallet A, Jenkins P, Besser G, Wass J . Prolonged large bowel transit increases serum deoxycholic acid: a risk factor for octreotide induced gallstones. Gut. 1999; 44(5):675-81. PMC: 1727511. DOI: 10.1136/gut.44.5.675. View