Pituitary News

Are Pituitary Tumors on the Rise?

For the last 6-8 weeks there has been a flury of articles, reports or research about pituitary tumors and/or the patients and giants affected with these tumors across the globe.

Perhaps the greatest news event which fell off all reporters radar was the discovery of the AIP Gene Mutation last month. "The Van Andel Institute (VARI) has identified a genetic mutation that is responsible for some cases of acromegaly."
Read the article at the VARI website here: http://www.vai.org/News/News/2009/08_21_Gigantism-Borneo.aspx
It's just me, but I am real excited about this discovery, the implications this discovery has for the future in how we treat and hopefully prevent these tumors. As another fortunate side effect of discovering this mutation, it's logical that other endocrine disorders will benefit as researchers advance and knowledge and understanding of this AIP Gene Mutation. Findings in this study showed some with the gene mutation did not have a pituitary tumor. They are thought to be carriers of this genetic code. ok ok...... enough of that one........ that news was the best news...........

Next Making Headlines in Illinois are stories of a class action Law Suit by some residents of McCullum Lake. When residents began seeing increased numbers of brain cancers and pituitary tumors far exceeding the expected incidence rates they began to take notice. Eventually a class action law suit was filed. Cluster or Coincidence? Read about this story here:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/McCullom+Lake+Series:+Coincidence+or+Cluster,+by+Kevin+Craver+and...-a0176979336

Travel South into Florida and another story
Cluster of Pit Tumors Florida

From: http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story/Cancer-Cluster-Acreage-WPTV-BRAIN-TUMORS/M-eAO3c2okWUXnulEzJ3pw.cspx

Well the McCullum Lake and The Acerage stories make me wonder if some pituitary tumors are affected by environmental contaminants or background radiation and become active. One of the world's most famous giantess' Sandy Allen came from Illinois. Is there something in the water or soil which triggers this? I'm hoping researchers and patients involved who lived near McCullum Lake and in The Acerage in Florida would contribute and study their chromosones in AIP gene mutation studies.


From across the globe came a story out of India where it is reported to be a whole Village of Giants. Alwar, India is where people are being affected by contaminants in their environments. What is most news worthy are documented cases where people resumed growing long past their growing years. Read this story here: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/230809-Kanchan-Pradeep-Sharma-abnormal-height-Alwar-Rajasthan-possible-pesticide-poisoning.htm


So, here's the question are pituitary tumors on the rise? Or are we recognizing more cases that would have previously remained unknown without the internet to bring these apparent clusters into focus? If previous and current incidence and prevelance rates are incorrect how would that affect funding for research? I can't help worry about this, currently research is funded in part through the Orphan Drug Act. Would funding dry up if this is not a rare disease? Would funding increase because more people would drop coins into the collection bin?
But in the end.......... It's not about the money.......... It's about people and the difficulties many will live with because for some reason a pituitary tumor wrecks havoc in their lives.

Not only in Florida or Illinois or India or Borneo............ We need to take an assessment of where people are being affected with pituitary tumors and study the commonalities. We need a world wide study to see how rare this really is.