[Acromegaly due to a pancreatic tumor producing growth hormone releasing hormone: clinical picture and morphology].

Acromegaly due to ectopic production of growth hormone releasing hormone (GH-RH) by a tumor is rare, but several cases have been described after isolation and identification of GH-RH from a pancreatic tumor. The authors observed a patient with acromegaly caused by a pancreatic tumor in whom GH-RH production was demonstrated by measurements of GH-RH in peripheral plasma, tumor veins, tumor extracts and immunohistochemical identification. Endocrinological, histological and ultrastructural results are discussed. The problem of potential malignancy is investigated in the light of DNA measurements. This observation shows that GH-RH measurements can be a useful diagnostic procedure before surgery for acromegaly.