View clinical trials related to Pituitary Neoplasms.
Filter by:The purpose of the study is to determine genetic links among blood-relatives and between spouses of patients with pituitary tumors.
Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PPB) is a rare lung tumor which develops in childhood. The underlying genetic factors which contribute to the development and progression of PPB are not defined. We are working to identify the genetic factors which may contribute to the development of this rare tumor.
Adult patients with hypopituitarism under adequate conventional hormone replacement therapy have reduced life expectancy due to excess vascular events (1-4). Deficiency in GH secretion (GHD) is likely to play a major role in determining the excess mortality, since it is associated with lipid abnormalities, visceral adiposity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hypertension, cardiac abnormalities and increased intima-media thickness (IMT) at major arteries (5). Beneficial effects of growth hormone (GH) replacement on cardiovascular risk factors have been demonstrated in several studies of hypopituitary GHD patients (5). GH replacement improves body composition and lipid profile (5): it is accepted that management of dyslipidaemia is crucial in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and part of the excess vascular risk associated with hypopituitarism is likely to be due to dyslipidaemia (6). A meta-analysis of blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trials with low doses and long-duration GH treatment showed that GH replacement has beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk by improving lean and fat body mass, total and LDL cholesterol levels, and diastolic blood pressure (7). Besides, GH replacement also induces improvement in cardiovascular markers (8), and cardiac performance (9). In small cohorts of GHD adults, beneficial effects of GH replacement for 6-24 mos have also been reported on surrogate parameters of atherosclerosis, such as intima-media thickness (IMT) at major arteries (10-13), while 6 months of GH deprivation is associated with an impairment of the cardiovascular risk profile (12). In a consistent series of men and women with hypopituitarism we reported, however, that two years of GH replacement is not adequate to normalize IMT levels at common carotid arteries (13). To give further insights on the likelihood of reversal of early atherosclerosis in severe GHD patients after prolonged GH replacement, we designed this 5-yr prospective, controlled study. Only men aged ≤50 yrs and with severe GHD were enrolled to avoid gender and aging interference (13). Main outcome measure was IMT at common carotid arteries; secondary measure was prevalence of insulin-resistance syndrome according with the American College of Endocrinology (14).
The research is aimed at identifying new predisposition genes for endocrine tumours. Our focus initially is on pituitary adenomas including growth hormone-secreting tumors (somatotrophinomas) and prolactin secreting tumours (prolactinomas), but we wish to extend work to other pituitary tumour cases/families. The recruitment process will be as follows. 1. We will recruit patients from our own Endocrine outpatient clinics and inpatient wards. In addition we will ask colleagues in other Endocrinology Departments (or other specialties such as Clinical Genetics,Pathology, General Medicine ) to identify potentially suitable patients with endocrine & pituitary tumours from their records. We shall focus on patients with good evidence of inheritance of their condition: relatively early onset; or multiple lesions; or other affected family members. Conditions where the predisposing genes have been identified (principally MEN) will be excluded from study. Patients directly contacting us can also enter the study. 2. The Consultant looking after the patient will contact the patient to initially inform him/her of the study. 3. We will then contact the patient (generally by telephone) to discuss the study and what it would entail in terms of information and samples. 4. Subject to agreement in (3), patient will receive 'Information Sheet for patients with pituitary tumour' and 'Consent Form' and will have blood sampling in Consultant's clinic. 5. We will contact additional family members (if appropriate) after an initial approach by the family member already recruited to the study. The additional family members may have developed tumours similar to those of the proband, or may be unaffected individuals who provide useful information for gene identification purposes (for example, spouses may greatly aid the power of gene mapping by linkage. They will receive the "Information Sheet for family members". analysis). 8. Archival tissue will be obtained from HTA licensed tissue banks. This is an established bank whose licence is primarily for diagnosis but can be used for research. 9. We will undertake laboratory work, such as genetic linkage analysis, candidate gene mutation screening and studies of loss of heterozygosity in tumours, to identify the genes predisposing to the condition, such as the AIP gene. In addition we would like to screen other genes related to the chaperon AIP molecule, such as AhR, and other genes currently identified (PDE4A5, survivin and Tom20 protein) or may not been identified. Blood samples for DNA and RNA will coded with unique ID numbers. Pituitary and other endocrine tumour samples will be collected at surgery and kept in liquid nitrogen or -80 C. They will be coded with unique ID numbers. Candidate gene sequencing will be performed in the Barts and the London Medical School Genome Centre. RNA expression studies from blood or adenoma tissue samples will be performed by RT-PCR. Protein expression studies will be performed by Western blotting or immunohistochemistry. The first gene we wish to study causes familial acromegaly, a disease resulting from a pituitary adenoma secreting growth hormone. To establish if the candidate gene is also causing possibly sporadic (not familial) cases of the disease, samples (blood and tissue) will be collected from patients with sporadic disease and will be analysed as above.
This study will evaluate patients with a variety of endocrine disorders in order to 1) learn more about conditions that affect the endocrine glands (glands that secrete hormones) and 2) to train physicians in endocrinology. Patients of all ages with endocrine-related conditions may be eligible for evaluation under this protocol. Those enrolled may be required to provide blood, saliva, urine or stool samples, and to undergo ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland, ovaries or testes, adrenal glands or other parts of the body. Laboratory or X-ray studies may be done for diagnostic or treatment purposes. In some cases, patients will receive medical or surgical treatment for their disorder. Patients and family members of patients with a hereditary disorder may be asked to provide a blood sample for genetic analysis.
RATIONALE: Antineoplastons are naturally-occurring substances that may also be made in the laboratory. Antineoplastons may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well antineoplaston therapy works in treating patients with neuroendocrine tumor that is metastatic or unlikely to respond to surgery or radiation therapy.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the treatment and natural history of acromegaly. We have a longstanding interest in acromegaly treatment, and a cohort that has been followed for 30 years, or more in some cases. We will continue to follow patients and recruit new patients for treatment and follow-up. Blood and pituitary tumor tissue (when available through clinical care) will be saved for future analyses related to acromegaly.
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Sandostatin LAR® (Registered Trademark) Depot to transsphenoidal surgery in previously untreated acromegalic patients with macroadenomas. The primary goal is to normalize insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels. Secondary goals are to compare Sandostatin LAR® (Registered Trademark) Depot treatment and transsphenoidal surgery to achieve the following goals: suppress growth hormone levels to less than or equal to 2.5 ng/mL, relieve the clinical signs and symptoms of acromegaly, reduce the size of the macroadenomas, produce few side effects, assess the prognostic value of baseline pituitary adenoma size, extension and baseline growth hormone level on post-treatment growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, and assess the resource utilization of each treatment type.
Lentiginosis refers to groups of diseases marked by the presence of pigmented spots on the skin. These conditions are most commonly associated with multiple tumors and changes in hormone producing glands. The cause of these diseases is unknown, but researchers suggest there may be a level of inheritance involved in their development. Meaning to say that some of these diseases may "run in the family" and be passed down form generation to generation. Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a pituitary-independent, primary adrenal form of hypercortisolism characterized by; 1. Resistance to suppression by the drug dexamethasone 2. The body is unable to secrete cortisol in a normal rhythm 3. Distinct microscopic changes of both adrenal glands PPNAD can be associated with tumors (myxomas) of the skin, heart, breast, tumors (swannomas) of the nerve sheaths, pigmented spots (nevi and lentigines) of the skin, growth hormone (GH) producing tumors of the pituitary gland, and tumors of the testicles, ovaries, and thyroid gland. In the presence of these associations the condition is referred to as the Carney Complex. Presently there are no tests for screening of PPNAD and the Carney Complex. In addition, it is unknown how these conditions are genetically transferred from generation to generation. This study proposes to use standard methods of clinical testing for endocrine and nonendocrine diseases and genetic testing in order to; 1. Define the genetic basis for PPNAD and/or the Carney Complex. 2. Determine the molecular changes associated with the development of the tumors. 3. Identify carriers of the disease. 4. Determine the prognosis for carriers and affected individuals. 5. Provide sufficient data for genetic counseling of families with PPNAD and/or Carney Complex.<TAB>...
Presently, patients with primary malignant brain tumors have a life expectancy of 15 weeks following surgery unless they receive additional types of therapy (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or immunotherapy). Patients that receive additional therapy can increase life expectancy to 50 weeks. The statistics on the life expectancy and survival have increased efforts among researchers to develop new treatments for primary malignant brain tumors. This research project involves the growth and study of human brain tumor cells outside the body in the laboratory as part of an attempt to better understand these tumors and to develop more effective treatments for them.