What causes the phenomenon called gigantism?

jonnowales

Gigantism or giantism, (from Greek gigas, gigantas "giant") is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average. As a medical term, gigantism is rarely used to refer to the rare condition of pituitary gigantism due to prepubertal growth hormone excess. There is no precise definition of the degree of height that qualifies a person to be termed a "giant." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantism Feb 19 08, 8:21 PM

zbeckabee

Acromegaly/Gigantism is the second in frequency of Pituitary Adenomas, accounting for about 17% of them. It is often caused by a pituitary adenoma GH secreting (99%), but other causes has been described such as: A rare form caused by hypersecretion of GHRH from an ectopic source (pancreatic islet or carcinoid tumors) or from within the central nervous system such as ganglyoneuroma (called eutopic). Even more rare form is a nonpituitary GH secreting tumor documented in a few lung tumors and in those called Ectopic Pituitary Tumor (Esphenoidal) http://www.medstudents.com.br/endoc/endoc8.htm Feb 19 08, 8:27 PM