GIGANTISM PICTURE AND DEFINITION

Gigantism Picture

Gigantism is an excessive secretion of growth hormone during
childhood before the closure of the bone growth plates, which causes overgrowth of the
long bones and very tall stature. he vertical growth in height that marks this condition
is also accompanied by growth in muscles and organs, which makes the child extremely large
for his or her age. The disorder can also delay puberty.

The cause of excess growth hormone secretion is most often a
pituitary gland tumor. Gigantism may also be caused by an underlying medical condition such
as multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type-1, McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS),
neurofibromatosis or Carney complex. Pituitary tumors are never malignant (cancerous). If
excessive secretion of growth hormone occurs after normal bone growth has stopped, the
condition is known as acromegaly

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