Endocrine Abstracts

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...

Background: The SAGIT® instrument, designed to assist clinicians in staging and managing acromegaly, is undergoing validation. A descriptive analysis of SAGIT Validation study baseline data revealed discrepancies between investigator-evaluated disease-control status, disease activity, hormonal control, and treatment decisions in acromegaly.Objective: To describe the baseline characteristics of patients in the SAGIT® valida...

Objective: To collect clinical and treatment outcome data in a large patient cohort, and specifically to report experience with temozolomide (TMZ).Design: Cohort study based on an electronic survey open for participation to ESE members Dec 2015-Nov 2016.Results: Reports on 167 patients, 40 pituitary carcinomas, and 127 aggressive pituitary tumours were obtained. Median age at diagnosis was 43 (range 4–79) years. 59% of tumours...

Background: In PRIMARYS, lanreotide Autogel (LAN) 120 mg/28 days reduced tumour volume (TV), and GH/IGF-1 levels in patients with GH-secreting macroadenomas. In post-hoc analyses, we investigated predictive factors for treatment responses.Methods: PRIMARYS, a 48-week, international, open-label study, involved 90 treatment-naïve patients with GH-secreting macroadenomas receiving LAN. Factors predictive for hormonal control (HC; GH ≤2.5...

Background: Twice-daily formulation of pasireotide, a pituitary-directed therapy, is approved for treatment of Cushing’s disease. Here we present data from a phase III study designed to evaluate the more convenient once-monthly long-acting release (LAR) formulation of pasireotide (approved for acromegaly) in patients with Cushing’s disease.Methods: Patients with persistent, recurrent, or de novo Cushing’s disease (not candidates for surger...

Background: Adult GH deficiency (GHD) is diagnosed by provocative testing of GH secretion. To improve diagnostic accuracy of GHRH plus arginine (GARG) testing, we evaluated the influence of age, BMI, and sex. Furthermore, we aimed to established normative data for an automatic immunoassay specifically measuring 22kD human GH.Methods: Eighty-seven patients with hypothalamic-pituitary disease and 200 healthy controls were enrolled. Controls were prospectiv...

Background: Cushing’s disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and there are currently no approved medical therapies. Twice-daily pasireotide sc showed efficacy in patients with mostly moderate-to-severe (UFC≥2×ULN) Cushing’s disease in a large, randomized, double-blind, 12-month trial. A monthly long-acting release (LAR) formulation of pasireotide has been developed to provide a smoother pharmacokinetic profile, potentially a better effica...

Introduction: Measurement of urinary cortisol is often used to assess disease activity in patients with suspected or proven hypercortisolism. However, specific reference ranges are lacking for some of the newer assays. This study analyzed upper limits of normal (ULN, mean+2S.D.) for two analytical procedures (GC–MS, ECLIA) in relation to various independent variables. Besides, the influence of different storage conditions was investigated (by ECLIA).<p ...

Introduction: Treatment of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NET) usually includes chemotherapeutic intervention. However, both the rarity and the heterogeneity of the disease have led to relatively few clinical trials. This study evaluated the outcome of two chemotherapy regimens in patients suffering from undifferentiated and histologically confirmed NET.Methods: Eighteen patients (11 males; age 56.7±2.5) with proven progressive disease...

Background: Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the first enzyme in the pathway of catecholamine synthesis catalyzing the conversion of tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). To establish a molecular marker for adrenal pheochromocytomas, we compared the expression in various adrenal tumors in comparison to normal adrenal glands.Methods: Tissue from 19 pheochromocytomas (PHEO), 20 aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA), 20 cortisol-producing adenomas (CPA), an...