Receptor Antagonist Pegvisomant Research Articles

Control of disease activity and tumor size after introduction of pegvisomant in a lanreotide-resistant acromegalic patient

We report on a 30-year-old female acromegalic patient treated with the growth hormone (GH) receptor antagonist pegvisomant at a low dose after the failure of long-acting lanreotide, neurosurgery and radiotherapy treatment to restore IGF-1 levels. The combination treatment was well tolerated and produced a dramatic improvement in the patient's condition (reduction in visual field defects, relief of headache and excessive perspiration), normalization of IGF-I levels and a considerable decrease in tumor size, enabling a dramatic decrease in lanreotide dosage and, ultimately, its withdrawal.

An unusual somatotropin and thyreotropin secreting pituitary adenoma efficiently controlled by Octreotide and Pegvisomant

We describe the first case of a 36 year-old male patient with a somatotropin and thyreotropin secreting pituitary adenoma, co-treated by a long-acting releasing somatostatin analog (Octreotide) and a GH receptor antagonist (Pegvisomant). The patient normalized his biological disease activity reflected by hormone levels but his tumor size remained unchanged as measured by MRI. The co-treatment was well tolerated and induced a synergic effect on IGF1 levels that allowed us to use low doses of both therapies.