Although
acromegaly is a
rare disease, the need for an effective treatment that is able to induce biochemical cure is an extremely important issue. Unsuccessfully treated
acromegaly is associated with increased morbidity and an age-corrected mortality so that early and aggressive
therapy to normalize hormonal levels should be instituted at diagnosis. Ideally, the
growth hormone-secreting
adenoma should be completely resected, with preservation or subsequent restoration of pituitary function. Patients with recurrence or failure after surgery are treated with a second surgery, medical,
radiation treatment, or combined modality treatment. Steotactic radiosurgery with gamma knife allows the delivery of focused radiation in a single session to the
pituitary tumor that delivers a more biologically effective dose to the
tumor than fractionated
radiotherapy. Its use as a primary or adjuvant treatment for acromegalics may be more cost effective than medical treatment in these patients. Although it seems to be very effective in controlling growth and secretion of the
growth hormone-secreting
pituitary adenomas, there is a chance that some major risks from gamma knife radiosurgery might occur. This article will review the role that gamma knife radiosurgery might have in patients with
acromegaly.