Would you like to help acromegaly patients get diagnosed earlier to improve their quality of life? A new Canadian-led study is trying to do just that, and invites you to help.
Acromegaly, including gigantism, is caused by a growth in the pituitary gland that results in too much growth hormone being made. This can affect external appearance and internal organs, causing early high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and many other problems that shorten and impact the quality of a person’s life. Currently, acromegaly takes many years to diagnose.
A team led by neurosurgeon and professor Dr. Michael D. Cusimano, based at at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, will be launching an international research study to determine if we can detect the earliest signs of acromegaly using the latest computer technology.
If you or a family member have acromegaly/gigantism or a pituitary tumour, you can directly help by participating in this study. We will soon share an invitation to this study that will provide more information and a secure online link to participate.
In preparation of participating, we encourage you to prepare a collection of pictures of your face and/or hands and feet, as well as any documents you might have about proof of your condition.
If you’d like to learn more or have questions about taking part in this study, please send an email to the research team at acromegaly-research@smh.ca.
Thank you for considering participating in this study!
Learn more about this groundbreaking research by watching this recording of Dr. Cusimano presenting the study at our annual Acromegaly Canada National Conference.