Endocrine Abstracts

Germline AIP mutations (AIPmut) predispose to young onset somatotroph pituitary adenomas (GHPA) and gigantism. AIPmut GHPA are often aggressive and resistant to pharmacological treatment, which may be especially challenging in the paediatric setting. We report our experience with two young Italian AIPmut male patients with incipient gigantism due to childhood pituitary macroadenomas, who both experienced recurrent ...

Introduction: Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a devastating disease with median survival between 1.2 and 10 months. The disease accounts for as little as 0.9–1.6% of total thyroid cancer cases, but may account for up to half of all thyroid cancer mortality. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prognostic factors and outcomes of patients diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer in Ireland and review emerging treatments for this disease.Methods and de...

Introduction: Medullary thyroid cancer arises from the calcitonin-secreting parafollicular C cells and consists of a spectrum of disease that ranges from extremely indolent tumours, where patients may survive for many years with a large tumor burden, to aggressive types associated with a high mortality rate. The objective of our study is to evaluate the prognostic factors and outcomes of patients diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer in a homogenous population, and to examin...

Introduction: The increased incidence of thyroid cancer is driven mainly by a large increase in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The number of patients that succumb to the disease has remained stable. The aim of our study is to analyze the incidence and mortality of thyroid cancer in Ireland.Methods and design: A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Registry was undertaken, between 1st of January 1998 and the 31st December 2007. The Kaplan–M...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide with incidence expected to rise. Although not traditionally viewed as a hormonal cancer, evidence suggests peripheral synthesis of active oestrogens worsens prognosis. Oestrogen metabolising enzymes include steroid sulphatase (STS), which desulphates oestrogens into their active forms, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17βHSD), which are estrogen oxidoreductase enzymes. We have previously shown ST...

This study describes the evolution of retinopathy 5 years after islet transplantation (IT) with the Edmonton protocol in type 1 diabetic patients. Before IT and then yearly for 5 years, 21 patients (13 islet-alone (ITA), 8 islet-after-kidney (IAK)) underwent monitoring of laboratory parameters, continuous 24 h mean blood pressure (24h BP) and 72 h glucose (CGM), as well as complete ophthalmologic examination. Ten of the 21 patients (48%) were insulin-independent 5 years post-I...

Patients affected by pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1b (PHP-1b) develop resistance to PTH leading to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphoremia, which is often associated with resistance to TSH. PHP-Ib is associated with methylation changes at one or several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) within the GNAS complex locus, located at 20q13.2–13.3. This locus gives rise to several different transcripts (NESP55, XL, A/B), with varying patterns of expression depending on the pa...

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread endocrine disrupting chemical strongly suspected to have adverse health effects. Numerous tissues and cells are affected by BPA, and we showed recently that BPA targets include ameloblasts and enamel. We therefore investigated the effects of BPA on ameloblasts and the possible involvement of the estrogen signaling pathway. Rats were exposed daily to low-dose BPA from the conception to 30 days after birth (30 D). Seventy-five percent of 30 D ra...

The increased incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among the aged is associated with an impaired skeletal structure and a higher prevalence for bone fractures. Besides, anti-diabetic therapies can also negatively affect bone mass. In this study, we tested the skeletal effects of chronic administration of two glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and examined the expression of GLP-1R in bone tissue and cells. Twelve week-old female C57Bl/6N mice were ovariect...

An incidentaloma is a mass lesion found by chance on imaging for a reason unrelated to the site of the lesion. Adrenal incidentalomas, as a result of advances in imaging technology, have an increased incidence, especially in the aging population. An endocrine referral is advised to determine if the lesion is functional, to exclude malignancy and offer on going appropriate follow-up.Aim: To assess the incidence and audit the management of adrenal incident...