Gigantism Overview
Learn About Gigantism
Gigantism is abnormal growth due to an excess of growth hormone (GH) during childhood.
Pituitary giant; Overproduction of growth hormone; Growth hormone - excess production
Gigantism is very rare. The most common cause of too much GH release is a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland. Other causes include:
- Genetic disease that affects the skin color (pigmentation) and causes benign tumors of the skin, heart, and endocrine (hormone) system (Carney complex)
- Genetic disease that affects the bones and skin pigmentation (McCune-Albright syndrome)
- Genetic disease in which one or more of the endocrine glands are overactive or form a tumor (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1) or type 4
- Genetic disease that forms pituitary tumors
- Disease in which tumors form on the nerves of the brain and spine (neurofibromatosis)
If excess GH occurs after normal bone growth has stopped (end of puberty), the condition is known as acromegaly.
The child will grow in height, as well as in the muscles and organs. This excessive growth makes the child extremely large for his or her age.
Other symptoms include:
- Delayed puberty
- Double vision or difficulty with side (peripheral) vision
- Very prominent forehead (frontal bossing) and a prominent jaw
- Gaps between the teeth
- Headache
- Increased sweating
- Irregular periods (menstruation)
- Joint pain
- Large hands and feet with thick fingers and toes
- Release of breast milk
- Sleep problems such as obstructive sleep apnea
- Thickening of the facial features
- Weakness
- Voice changes
For pituitary tumors, surgery can cure many cases.
When surgery cannot completely remove the tumor, medicines are used to block or reduce GH release or prevent GH from reaching target tissues.
Sometimes radiation treatment is used to decrease the size of the tumor after surgery.
Unmc Physicians
Chad Moes is a Family Medicine specialist and an Internal Medicine provider in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Moes and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gigantism. His top areas of expertise are Familial Hypertension, Hypertension, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, and Tracheitis. Dr. Moes is currently accepting new patients.
Unmc Physicians
Andjela Drincic is an Endocrinologist in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Drincic and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gigantism. Her top areas of expertise are Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), Hypogonadism, Pituitary Tumor, and Neurohypophyseal Diabetes Insipidus.
Unmc Physicians
Leslie Eiland is an Endocrinologist in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Eiland and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Gigantism. Her top areas of expertise are Thyroid Storm, Hyperthyroidism, Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and Triple A Syndrome.
Pituitary surgery is usually successful in limiting GH production.
Early treatment can reverse many of the changes caused by GH excess. Long-term effects on bones, joints, and the heart are common.
Surgery and radiation treatment may lead to low levels of other pituitary hormones. This can cause any of the following conditions:
- Adrenal insufficiency (adrenal glands do not produce enough of their hormones)
- Diabetes insipidus (extreme thirst and excessive urination; in rare cases)
- Hypogonadism (body's sex glands produce little or no hormones)
- Hypothyroidism (thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone)
Contact your provider if your child has signs of excessive growth.
Gigantism cannot be prevented. Early treatment may prevent the disease from getting worse and help avoid complications.
Summary: There is a variety of tumors affecting the pituitary gland in childhood; some of these tumors (eg craniopharyngioma) are included among the most common central nervous system tumors in childhood. The gene(s) involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors are largely not known; their possible association with other developmental defects or inheritance pattern(s) has not been investigated. The present...
Background: For children with gigantism, too much growth hormone (GH) in the body causes abnormal growth and many other problems. Current treatments often don t work; no medical treatment is approved by FDA. Researchers want to see if the drug pegvisomant can help.
Published Date: May 12, 2023
Published By: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Katznelson L, Laws ER Jr, Melmed S, et al; Endocrine Society. Acromegaly: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(11):3933-3951. PMID: 25356808 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25356808/.
Melmed S. Acromegaly. In: Robertson RP, ed. DeGroot's Endocrinology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 6.
Melmed S. Pituitary masses and tumors. In: Melmed S, Auchus, RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 9.