Abstract
Pituitary tumors (PT) represent in, the majority of cases, benign tumors for which surgical treatment still remains, except for prolactin-secreting PT, the first-line therapeutic option. Nonetheless, the role played by medical therapies for the management of such tumors, before or after surgery, has evolved considerably, due in part to the recent development of well-tolerated and highly efficient molecules. In this review, our aim was to present a state-of-the-art of the current medical therapies used in the field of PT and the benefits and caveats for each of them, and further specify their positioning in the therapeutic algorithm of each phenotype. Finally, we discuss the future of PT medical therapies, based on the most recent studies published in this field.
Highlights
Pituitary adenomas (PA), referred to, especially in Europe, as pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), or as pituitary tumors (PT) [1] represent benign tumors in a majority of cases
Along with progress made in the neurosurgical techniques used for the resection of PT in recent years, there was a substantially increased interest for medical therapies developed for the control of tumor growth and/or hormonal hypersecretion
These treatments result from a better understanding of the molecular characteristics underlining tumor mechanisms of secretion and proliferation, with the ambition to offer the patient with chronic disease, the best care with less adverse effects or constraints in the long-term
Summary
Pituitary adenomas (PA), referred to, especially in Europe, as pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), or as pituitary tumors (PT) [1] represent benign tumors in a majority of cases Their treatment may involve a combination of surgery, medical therapies (such as Dopamine Agonist (DA) or Somatostatin Receptor Ligand (SRL)), and radiotherapy because of their potentially severe impact on mortality, morbidity, and quality of life of affected patients [2,3]. Besides the specific cases of aggressive PT, which may require the use of medical therapies from the oncology field (see review [5]), clinicians have to deal with complex issues concerning the conventional treatment of PT, and these are summarized as follows: Prolactin-secreting PT resistant to dopamine agonist therapy This situation is often encountered in young men and associated with a higher risk of aggressive tumors [6]. The choice to begin a steroidogenesis inhibitor and how to titrate it, regarding the induced risk of adrenal insufficiency, implies a close follow-up
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
