Serum growth hormone in patients with carcinoid tumours; basal levels and response to glucose and thyrotrophin releasing hormone

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Abstract
The regulation of serum growth hormone was studied in 33 consecutive patients with carcinoid tumors; both diurnal serum GH [growth hormone] and GH responses to an i.v. glucose load and TRH were assessed. Seventeen of the patients (52%) showed disturbed regulation of serum GH and 10 had at least 2 abnormal tests. Four patients had clinically overt acromegaly. The diurnal mean serum GH levels were higher (P < 0.001) in patients with carcinoid tumors than in control subjects and more than one third (41%) had levels in a range similar to that of acromegalic patients without carcinoid tumors. The disturbance in serum GH regulation might have been caused in some patient by tumor secreted growth hormone releasing factor(s) which act directly on pituitary somatotrophs, but other tumor-related non-specific stimulation must be considered. Carcinoid tumors should be considered in the etiology of acromegaly.