Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Somatostatin mediates its effects via five known receptor subtypes sst1-sst5. The somatostatin analogue octreotide, which binds preferentially to sst2 and to a lesser extent to sst3 and sst5, may be used prior to surgery of GH-secreting tumors. To investigate the variable response rates of such treatment, we analyzed sst expression levels in tumor tissue.Methods: 44 patients with acromegaly (20m, 24f, 48.7+/...

Objectives: The insulin tolerance test (ITT) is considered the gold standard to evaluate corticotropic function in patients with suspected pituitary disease, but is limited by several contraindications. As an alternative, we evaluated the diagnostic value of basal cortisol in serum and saliva.Methods: volunteers (V) and 61 patients with suspected pituitary disease (P) were enrolled into this study. Basal serum and saliva samples were collected simultaneo...

Aim: Progressive medullary (MTC) or iodine-negative papillary (PTC) or follicular (FTC) thyroid carcinomas present a challenge due to limited treatment options. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to chemotherapy with doxorubicin.Methods: 22 patients (12 female, 10 male, mean 61 years) with PTC or FTC received chemotherapy with doxorubicin. Tumors were histologically classified as follicular in 14 (64%) patients, including 6 (27%) oncocyta...

Aim: Metastatic medullary (MTC) or iodine-negative papillary (PTC) or follicular (FTC) thyroid carcinomas present a challenge due to limited treatment options. We prospectively compared various staging procedures that may be necessary to define extent and progress of the disease.Methods: 31 patients were included (9×MTC, 8×PTC, 14×FTC). Staging procedures included CTs of chest, abdomen, and CNS, 18FGD-PET, and bone scan. Tumor s...

Adrenal pheochromocytomas are neoplasms characterized by catecholamine excess. We recently reported on the diagnostic value of plasma metanephrines measured by RIA for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. However, RIA may not be used in many laboratories.This study evaluated plasma and urinary metanephrines determined by a newly available ELISA as well as serum chromogranin A (CgA) for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Spontaneous blood samples and 24h-ur...

The German Acrostudy is at present the largest database on acromegalics (n=184) treated with pegvisomant (Somavert®). 91% pts underwent pituitary surgery, 45% received radiation therapy, and previous medical therapy included dopamine agonists (56%), octreotide (90%) and/or lanreotide (10%). Common concomitant diseases at baseline were hypertension (47.0%), diabetes mellitus (31.7%), and gallstone disease (25.6%). Efficacy analysis was performed in 134 pt...

Approximately 50% of patients with severe AGHD (defined by the international consensus criteria, peak GH <3 ng/ml) have a normal age- and gender-related IGF-I. It remains unclear whether in these individuals IGF-I is GH-dependent. We performed a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over study on the effect of pegvisomant (20 mg daily for 14 days) on the relationship between GH and IGF-I in 3 age-, gender- and BMI-matched cohorts (Norms: 5 GHD patients with n...

cAMP signaling systems play a critical role in regulation of thyroid cell proliferation and function. Besides the well known protein kinase A (PKA) cascade, Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP) depicts a novel effector of cAMP. Epac is directly activated by cAMP and in turn stimulates kinase cascades like Akt kinase, phospholipase Cε and MAP kinases as well as the Ras-like GTPases Rap1 and Rap2. As data about the impact of Epac on cAMP signaling of thyroid c...

For somatostatin, five receptor subtypes (sst1-5) have been identified that are widely distributed in various endocrine tissues and tumors. Potent somatostatin analogs like octreotide, lanreotide and the new multiligand SOM230 – with different binding properties to the receptor subtypes - have been developed. We examined somatostatin receptor protein expression in 134 pituitary tumors of various etiologies. Immunostaining was performed with specific polyclonal anti...