Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Distinction of benign testicular adrenal rest tumours (TART) and potentially malign Leydig cell tumors (LCT) is challenging but important to prevent unnecessary surgery of TART. Ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging can reliably detect but not distinguish between both tumour entities.Methods: Functional imaging results using the specific CYP11B1/2-inhibitor 123I-IMAZA were investigated in seven adult male patients with classic c...

Background: Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is an acquired form of severe obesity characterized by rapid and excessive weight gain resulting from insult to the hypothalamus—primarily caused by tumor invasion, resection, or radiotherapy—that can impair melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) pathway signaling. Treatment with setmelanotide, an MC4R agonist, resulted in weight and hunger reduction at 16 weeks in a Phase 2 trial of patients with HO. Here, we report changes in weight-re...

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are endocrine disrupting chemicals, with elimination half-lives ranging from four to eight years. Experimental studies found PFAS able to interfere with thyroid hormone-binding proteins. During the first 20 weeks of gestation (GW), the fetus is reliant on placental transfer of maternal thyroid hormones, mainly free thyroxine (FT4). However, previous studies investigating associations between exposure to PFAS and thyroid hormone stat...

Background: Symptoms of hyperandrogenism are common in patients with Cushing’s disease (CD), but they cannot be sufficiently explained by measured concentrations of circulating androgens. In this study we analyzed the contribution of 11-oxygenated (11o×C19) androgens to hyperandrogenemia in female patients with CD as well as the influence of treatment with steroidogenesis inhibitors osilodrostat and metyrapone on 11o×C19 and classic androgens.<p class="abste...

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), mainly gonadotroph pituitary adenomas (GPAs), are the second most common type of PAs. Given the lack of symptoms secondary to hormone hypersecretion, NFPAs are often diagnosed when they cause mass effects. At this stage they are invasive (50% of cases), they cannot be completely resected and often recur. Despite their frequency, no standard of care drug treatment currently exists for these tumors. SSAs (somatostatin agonists) like oc...

Since the discovery of mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex early this century, it has been shown that tumours underpinned by deficiencies in this metabolic enzyme will demonstrate altered cell metabolism. However, the precise nature of these changes remains poorly described. The metabolic network within cells is highly redundant, with multiple pathways capable of synthesising the required building blocks for cell growth. By the very fact that SDH-deficient cells...

Since the discovery of mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex early this century, it has been shown that tumours underpinned by deficiencies in this metabolic enzyme will demonstrate altered cell metabolism. However, the precise nature of these changes remains poorly described. The metabolic network within cells is highly redundant, with multiple pathways capable of synthesising the required building blocks for cell growth. By the very fact that SDH-deficient cells...

Background: SPINET was a phase 3 trial (NCT02683941) in patients with well-differentiated, advanced bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (NETs; typical and atypical carcinoids [TCs and ACs]). During the double-blind (DB) period, patients were randomized (2:1) to receive lanreotide autogel/depot (LAN; 120 mg) or placebo (PBO) every 28 days; in the optional open-label (OL) phase, all patients received LAN. Recruitment was stopped early due to slow accrual; all eligible patient...

Spontaneous dizygotic (DZ) twinning results from a double ovulation and runs in families indicating a genetic component. Endocrinology studies in mothers of DZ twins observed higher levels of follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) and FSHB was, together with SMAD3, one the first loci identified as genome wide significant in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of having DZ twins. Several additional loci were recently found that indicate genes involved with fema...

Background: Transformation of the South Wales NET service in late 2017 introduced new specialised staff, gastroenterology-led clinics and MDTs with a particular emphasis on educating referring specialties on NETs. Data has shown patient experience, satisfaction rates, quality of life and gastrointestinal symptom scores have all improved. This study aims to describe findings from new NET service data for: referrals into the service, diagnosis times after symptoms, and initial s...