Long-term cancer risk in acromegaly: a population-based cohort study with 44 years of follow-up
Main finding · Overall cancer riskResult — go to the resultIncidence rate ratio 1.10 CI 0.93–1.30Authors' conclusion
Acromegaly carries an increased risk of colorectal cancer, but neither overall cancer risk nor cancer-specific mortality is increased.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with acromegaly diagnosed in Denmark (1977–2021) and matched controls; median follow-up 12.2 years (IQR 5.6–21.7; range 0.04–44.0)matched cohort
- Participants
- 809 vs 80,900
- Exposure
- Acromegaly patients vs matched controls
- Acromegalyn = 809
- Controlsn = 80,900reference
- Outcome
- Risk of cancer
Methodological detailsnationwide, matched on sex and birth year
- Nationwide
- Matched on sex and birth year
Main finding
Overall cancer risk
Incidence rate ratio
1.10
CI 0.93–1.30
P = 0.27
Acromegalyvs Controls
IRR 1.10 (CI 0.93–1.30); P = 0.27
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | IRR (CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorectal cancer | 1.78 (1.22–2.60) | P < 0.01 | |
| Thyroid cancer | 3.68 (1.16–11.66) | P = 0.03 | |
| Localized colorectal cancer | 2.00 (1.21–3.30) | P = 0.007 | |
| Use of endoscopic colorectal procedures | 2.85 (2.54–3.19) | P < 0.01 | |
| Benign colorectal lesions | 2.32 (1.96–2.76) | P < 0.01 | |
| All-cause mortality | 1.18 (1.02–1.36) | P = 0.03 | |
| Cancer-specific mortality | 0.95 (0.72–1.25) | P = 0.72 | |
| 0.050.21520Incidence rate ratio (log scale) |
- Benign colorectal lesions — Tubular adenomas
- 43.6%
- Benign colorectal lesions — Hyperplastic polyps
- 33.2%
- Use of endoscopic colorectal procedures: Colonoscopy use guided by fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening and clinical suspicion, not systematic screening
Original publication
Long-term cancer risk in acromegaly: a population-based cohort study with 44 years of follow-up. Eur J Endocrinol. Published 6 July 2026. doi:10.
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