Acromegaly.

At the time that acromegaly is diagnosed, more than half the pituitary adenomas are greater than 1 cm in diameter, and approximately half will not be cured by surgery or radiotherapy. Somatostatin, the natural hypophyseoportal peptide that inhibits the release of growth hormone, also inhibits the release of growth hormone from pituitary macroadenomas. Unfortunately, its plasma half-life is only a few minutes. With the development of a long-acting somatostatin analogue, SMS 201-995, prolonged therapy is possible. Several studies have demonstrated that when patients self-administer SMS 201-995 from two to three times daily at home, long-term inhibition of growth hormone release and remission of the clinical symptoms of acromegaly occur without significant side effects. SMS 201-995 is, therefore, a useful new palliative treatment for acromegaly.