Endocrine Problems have a Biblical Link?

[Guest Renea]

I watched a very interesting program on Discovery Health Channel tonight, discussing endocrine problems as far back as Biblical times.  The physician/researcher from Cedars-Sinai (CA) was discussing David and Goliath in particular.  He said that Goliath probably suffered from acromegaly (gigantism), which ultimately helped David defeat him.  Due to the nature of the tumors that cause acromegaly, which are usually larger pituitary tumors, Goliath likely suffered from optic nerve defects and deficits in peripheral vision, which likely allowed David to sneak up on him unseen.  And, he went on to say that it only took one stone to kill Goliath because the shot was likely to his temple, causing the large tumor to hemorrhage, resulting in disruption of all of his endocrine hormones, including his adrenal hormones in particular, and that he likely died fairly quickly from adrenal insufficiency.

 

The show was mainly about acromegaly, and went on to discuss that researchers have located a gene that may be resposible for the growth of pituitary tumors.  They have named this gene PTTG (pituitary tumor transmutating gene) and said that it has the same mutative characteristics of some cancer genes, which probably accounts for its ability to cause rapid tumor growth in otherwise normal, healthy tissue.  They went on to say that scientists haven't discovered what triggers the mutation yet, but that it doesn't appear to be hereditary, but rather a mutation in the gene that causes the tumor growth.

 

Quite interesting....

 

Renea

[~SuziQ~]

Thanks for posting this, Renea.  

 

I read it with interest...

[Guest Erin G.]

Thanks Renea,

That was very interesting.  I liked it a lot.

 

Erin :cool:

[Guest Lynne Clemens]

I saw that same program some time ago.  Very interesting.  And so very sad for the people who have acromegaly and don't get treated in time.