Anti-Aging Therapy With Human Growth Hormone Associated With Metastatic Colon Cancer in a Patient With Crohn’s Colitis

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doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2007.12.017 Copyright © 2008 AGA Institute Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Brief communication

Anti-Aging Therapy With Human Growth Hormone Associated With Metastatic Colon Cancer in a Patient With Crohn’s Colitis

Gil Y. Melmed, , 1, , Shane M. Devlin, 1, Vlotides, Deepti Dhall‡, Soraya Ross, Run Yu and Shlomo Melmed ‡Department of Anatomic Pathology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CaliforniaDepartment of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California Available online 6 February 2008.

Background & Aims: The nonapproved use of human growth hormone (HGH) for anti-aging has been increasing. Theoretical concerns for neoplastic potentiation by HGH have been raised, but not proven clinically.

Methods: We report the case of a 68-year-old man with colonic Crohn’s disease who was found to have aggressive metastatic colon cancer. The patient had been receiving HGH therapy for anti-aging purposes for 7 years before presentation. Normal and malignant colonic tissue was examined for qualitative and quantitative molecular profiles of growth hormone (GH) and its signaling molecules, using immunohistochemistry and RNA extraction with polymerase chain reaction amplification.

Results: Immunoreactivity was more robust in tumor tissue than in normal colon for insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) but not for IGF, GH, or GH receptor. RNA extraction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that IGF-1R and vascular endothelial growth factor expression, but not IGF-1, GH receptor, or suppressor of cytokine signaling-2, were higher in tumor than in normal colonic tissue.

Conclusions: Colorectal cancer development concurrent with administration of HGH for anti-aging purposes occurred in an individual already at increased risk for colon cancer. This underscores the need for further investigation of the proneoplastic potential of GH supplementation for anti-aging.

Abbreviations: GH, growth hormone; GHR, growth hormone receptor; HGH, human growth hormone; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor-1; IGF-1R, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor; SOCS, suppressor of cytokine signaling; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor

Supported by the National Institutes of Health (CA 75979 to S.M.), the Doris Factor Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, and by a National Institutes of Health–sponsored Gastroenterology training grant (T32 DK 07180-31 to G.Y.M.). S.M. is an ad hoc scientific advisor to Eli Lilly.Address requests for reprints to: Gil Y. Melmed, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8635 West Third Street, #960-W, Los Angeles, California 90048. fax: .1 G.Y.M. and S.M.D. contributed equally to this article.

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Volume 6, Issue 3, March 2008, Pages 360-363