ACROMEGALY DUE TO PRODUCTION OF A GROWTH HORMONE RELEASING FACTOR BY A BRONCHIAL CARCINOID TUMOUR

Abstract

We have studied growth hormone production in a patient with a bronchial carcinoid and acromegaly. The absence of growth hormone from the carcinoid tumour was demonstrated by extraction, cell culture and immunoperoxidase techniques. Using a linked perfusion culture system, effluent from the bronchial carcinoid tumour culture stimulated a rapid release of growth hormone from a rat pituitary mono‐layer. This is the first time evidence of growth hormone releasing activity by a bronchial carcinoid has been demonstrated in a patient with the clinical and biochemical manifestations of excess growth hormone production.