Although the earliest documented case of acromegaly is controversial, the disease can be recognized by its classic clinical features in the Egyptian king Akhenaton, who lived in the fourteenth century BC, and in the giant Goliath, whose defeat by David may be attributed to complications of the disease. <sup>89 Rabin D., Rabin P.L. David, Goliath and Smiley's people N Engl J Med 1983 ;  309 : 992

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Such distinguishing features include prognathism, enlargement of the nose and upper jaw, and thickening of the soft tissues of the face and lip. Most credit the first description of the condition to Pierre Marie in 1886. <sup>78 Marie P. Sur deux cas d'acromégalie: Hypertrophie singulière non congénitale des extremités supérieures, inférieures et céphaliques Rev Med 1886 ;  6 : 297

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> The association of the clinical manifestations with pituitary tumor was noted by Minkowski in 1887. <sup>82 Minkowski O. Ueber einen Fall von Akromegalie Berl Klin Wochenschr 1887 ;  24 : 371

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Direct access to the pituitary with removal of tumors of that gland resulting in reversal of acromegalic features further confirmed the etiologic role of the pituitary in acromegaly.

Over the ensuing century, and particularly in the last decade, significant advances have been made in the fields of pituitary tumor biology and growth hormone (GH) physiology. This information has been rapidly translated to almost all areas of clinical endocrinology. Acromegaly is an excellent example of this phenomenon. This article summarizes some of these recent advances with special emphasis on their relevance to the diagnosis and management of acromegaly.