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A somatotroph tumour is a pituitary tumour that makes too much growth hormone, causing acromegaly in adults (enlarging hands, feet and face, diabetes, heart and joint disease) or gigantism in children. Surgery through the nose comes first; if hormone levels stay high, somatostatin analogue injections, the blocker pegvisomant or radiotherapy bring them down, restoring a normal life expectancy. Below, week by week, is what OnCo's record of Somatotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumour (acromegaly) says about the first two months: the order is typical, the timing is yours to ask about. Sections appear only where the record has something to say. Orientation, not medical advice.
Staging tests establish exactly what and where the cancer is. Everything else follows from the answers.
Ask which of these were tested and what the results were; see the report reader for what each value means.
These specialties appear in the standard of care for this cancer. In most centres they meet weekly as a tumour board to agree each plan; you can ask when yours was discussed and what was decided.
A second opinion from a centre that treats many similar cases is normal, not rude; the standard of care tells you what to compare it against.
Each row is a setting from the standard of care, in the order it usually arises. Not all will apply to you; your stage and biomarkers decide which do. The guideline grade, where recorded, says how strong the evidence is.
Transsphenoidal surgery at a pituitary centre.
Somatostatin analogues or pasireotide, pegvisomant, cabergoline, alone or combined; radiotherapy for residual tumour not controlled medically.
Generated from this cancer's standard of care, biomarkers and open problems. Take the group that matches where you are. To tick, add your own and print, open the one-page appointment sheet.
Much of what helps in the first weeks is free if you know to ask: testing, helplines, rides and lodging, second opinions, trial travel.