Acromegaly: A Century of Scientific and Clinical Progress (Serono Symposia USA)

The manuscripts in this volume were contributed by the speakers invited to the Acromegaly Centennial Symposium held in San Francisco, California in July 1986. The meeting was organized to commemorate the description of acromegaly by the French physician Pierre Marie, in 1886. The members of the Scientific Committee spent many hours assisting us in ensuring an outstanding meeting. The support of Serono Symposia, USA in all phases of the planning and execution of the meeting was sincerely appreciated and was highly professional. Special recognition roust be extended to Professor Roger Guillemin of the Salk Institute, whosp interest in medical history led him to devote a great deal of time and personal expense in obtaining information about the life of Pierre Marie. Dr. GuilIemin's presentation on the life and times of Marie was an extraordinary overview of the cultural, social, and scientific backgrounds in which Marie came to describe the disease, acromegaly. Dr. Guillemin' s findings, which were presented at the main banquet in a splendid audiovisual presentation, were clearly the highlight of the meeting and will long be remembered by the attendees. We were also honored by the presence of Dr. Martine Pierre Marie Granier, the great-granddaughter of Pierre Harie. In her address at the banquet, Dr. Granier provided several delightful and intimate vignettes concerning Pierre Marie, using old family records and photographs. The Scientific Committee wishes to extend its gratitude to Dr. Granier for adding immeasurably to the historical atmosphere of the meeting. Front Matter....Pages i-xi The Life of Doctor Pierre Marie: A Great-Granddaughter’s View....Pages 1-3 Front Matter....Pages 5-5 Etiology of Acromegaly from the Neuroendocrine Point of View: A Historical Perspective....Pages 7-15 Human Growth Hormone Gene Regulation in Somatotroph Cell Cultures....Pages 17-25 Detection of the Multiple Forms of Human Growth Hormone....Pages 27-34 Molecular Heterogeneity of Circulating Growth Hormone in Acromegaly....Pages 35-43 Somatomedin Gene Expression....Pages 45-53 Somatomedin Action and Tissue Growth Factor Receptors....Pages 55-63 The Mechanism of the Growth-Promoting Action of Growth Hormone....Pages 65-72 Front Matter....Pages 73-73 Somatostatin and the Syndrome of Acromegaly....Pages 75-82 Growth Hormone Secretion in Acromegaly....Pages 83-95 Actions of GRF in Man....Pages 97-104 GRF Secretion in Man....Pages 105-113 Ectopic GRH Syndromes....Pages 115-125 Front Matter....Pages 127-127 Clinical Developments Over the Past 100 Years of Acromegaly....Pages 129-137 Gonadal Steroid Modulation of Growth Hormone Secretory Patterns in the Rat....Pages 139-150 Pathogenesis of Acromegaly....Pages 151-163 Pathology of Acromegaly....Pages 165-177 Associated Hypersecretion of Anterior Pituitary Hormones other than Growth Hormone in Acromegaly....Pages 179-191 Effect of Growth Hormone on Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism: An Overview....Pages 193-195 The Diagnosis of Acromegaly....Pages 197-208 Front Matter....Pages 209-209 Conventional Supervoltage Radiation in the Treatment of Acromegaly....Pages 211-220 Long-Term Effects of Proton Beam Therapy for Acromegaly....Pages 221-228 Results of Transsphenoidal Resection of Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas....Pages 229-239 Long-Term Results of Transsphenoidal Surgery for the Management of Acromegaly....Pages 241-248 The Use of Somatostatin Analogs in the Treatment of Acromegaly....Pages 249-259 The Use of Dopamine Agonists in the Management of Acromegaly....Pages 261-266 Decision Analysis of Treatment Options in Acromegaly....Pages 267-280 Back Matter....Pages 281-290