Prolactin-secreting Pituitary Adenomas Research Articles

Increase in Testosterone Levels and Improvement of Clinical Symptoms in Eugonadic men With a Prolactin-secreting Adenoma.

Testosterone concentrations, albeit rarely, may be in the normal range (>3.0 ng/mL) in men with a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma (PSPA-nt). The evolution of total, bioavailable testosterone, gonadotropin levels, and that of graded symptoms of testosterone deficiency (TD) are uncertain in these patients. Retrospective case-control longitudinal study at a tertiary referral center. From 287 men, we selected 25 PSPA-nt men undergoing prolactin normalization (<20.0 ng/mL) during the follow-up. Graded symptoms of TD were investigated by structured interviews. Biochemical changes and TD symptoms were compared to those of a matched cohort of 61 men with pituitary neoplasms and normal testosterone levels (PA-nt). Baseline testosterone levels were similar between PSPA-nt and PA-nt subjects. The prevalence of specific and suggestive symptoms of TD was higher in PSPA-nt (20% and 68%) than in PAnt (3.3 and 29.5%; P = .02 and P = .0015, respectively). At the follow-up, total and bioavailable testosterone levels increased in PSPA-nt but not in PA-nt patients (Δ change: 1.28 ± 2.1 vs0.03 ± 1.5 ng/mL, + 0.33 ± 0.55 vs-0.26 ± 0.60 ng/mL; P = .0028 and P = .0088, respectively). LH and FSH levels also increased in PSPA-nt men (P < .05). Specific and suggestive, but not nonspecific symptoms of TD, improved only in PSPA-nt men (P < .05 for both). Baseline testosterone and LH were the strongest predictors of testosterone improvement in PSPA-nt patients. Despite having normal testosterone levels at baseline, patients with PSPA-nt experience a relief of TD symptoms and an improvement of their pituitary-gonadal axis function following prolactin normalization, especially when baseline TT and LH levels are in the low-normal range.

Complete Shrinking of Mixed Growth Hormone and Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma With Bromocriptine Therapy Alone.

A 40-year-old man presented with acromegaly, reduction of visual acuity and visual field, and elevated blood sugar. Imaging examinations demonstrated a large sellar adenoma with suprasellar extension that compresses the optic chiasma upward, spreads downward to the sphenoid sinus, and invades the cavernous sinus bilaterally. Random prolactin and growth hormone were beyond the scope of normal. The patient achieved complete shrinking of the adenoma by taking bromocriptine orally. For some kinds of giant mixed growth hormone-prolactin adenomas, surgical treatment is not necessary, and drug treatment can also achieve good results.

Gender Differences in Patients with Prolactinoma: Single-center Ukrainian Experience.

Prolactinomas are the most common type of pituitary gland tumors that secrete overly prolactin. They account for approximately 60% of all hormone-secreting hypophysis tumors. This study aims to analyze gender differences in patients with prolactinomas who were operated on transsphenoidal surgery and conduct a single-center retrospective analysis of patient data. This study evaluated the medical records of 109 patients (61 females and 48 males) from 2009 to 2019 at Feofaniya Clinical Hospital of the State Administration of Affairs in Kyiv, Ukraine. The primary criterion for including patients was a Serum Prolactin (PRL) level of over 100 ng/ml and the presence of a pituitary adenoma (PA) as observed on MRI. Additionally, the histological examination needed to confirm the presence of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas (PSPAs) without plurihormonal activity through both microscopy and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Significant differences in preoperative PRL levels were not observed. However, males had significantly larger tumor sizes and prevalence of macroadenomas. In male patients, the preoperative PLR levels showed a weak negative correlation with age (r=-0.304, p < 0.036) and a positive correlation with tumor size (r=0.555, p < 0.001) and cavernous sinus invasion (r=0.339, p < 0.018). In females, preoperative PRL was significantly associated only with tumor size and Knosp grade. Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas (PSPAs) are more common in women than men and are characterized by larger and more invasive tumors with high PRL levels at diagnosis. The PRL level and tumor size before surgery can predict early biochemical remission in both males and females with an accuracy of 58.3% and 68.8%, respectively.

Prognostic factors for surgical treatment of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas.

Usually, prolactinomas are treated with dopamine agonists (DA). Surgery is considered an option when the patient cannot bear or does not respond positively to DA therapy. This study aims to determine the early and late outcomes of surgery, with particular emphasis on developing prognostic factors for surgical treatment and analyzing risk factors affecting the recurrence of hyperprolactinemia and prolactinoma. This retrospective study was conducted at the Feofaniya Clinical Hospital of the State Administration of Affairs (Kyiv, Ukraine), evaluating 109 patients' records from 2009 to 2019. The main patients' inclusion criteria were: serum prolactin (PRL) level of more than 100 ng/ml, presence of pituitary adenoma (PA) on MRI, histologically approved PA by microscopy. According to the size of the prolactin-secreting PA (PSPAs) the selected 109 patients were divided into two groups: micro- (≤10 mm, n = 75) and macroadenoma group (10-40 mm, n = 34). 1 month after the operation, PRL levels decreased by 87% (p < 0.001), 12 months-by 93% (p < 0.001). After receiving surgery and DA therapy for 12 months 77.1% of patients achieved biochemical remission. Out of the total number of patients observed, 15.6% (n = 17) had a Knosp score greater than 3. Additionally, in the macroadenoma group, the percentage of patients with a Knosp score greater than 3 was 41,2%, which was significantly higher as compared to the microadenoma group (4%, p < 0.001). In patients with microadenomas a weak reverse correlation between patients' age (r = -0.258, p < 0.026) and positive with tumor size (r = 0.251, p < 0.030) was revealed. In the macroadenoma group significant association was found only between preoperative serum PRL level and tumor size (r = 0.412, p < 0.016). The preoperative PRL can be used as a diagnostic marker for lack of early biochemical remission in patients with PSPAs with diagnostic accuracy 66.9%. This study found that primary transsphenoidal surgery is an effective treatment in reaching PRL level control in patients with both micro- and macroprolactinomas. The correct and thorough selection of candidates for surgery is crucial to achieve postoperative serum PRL normalization in the vast majority of patients.

Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas: male-specific differences in pathogenesis, clinical presentation and treatment.

Prolactinomas (PRLomas) constitute approximately half of all pituitary adenomas and approximately one-fifth of them are diagnosed in males. The clinical presentation of PRLomas results from direct prolactin (PRL) action, duration and severity of hyperprolactinemia, and tumor mass effect. Male PRLomas, compared to females, tend to be larger and more invasive, are associated with higher PRL concentration at diagnosis, present higher proliferative potential, are more frequently resistant to standard pharmacotherapy, and thus may require multimodal approach, including surgical resection, radiotherapy, and alternative medical agents. Therefore, the management of PRLomas in men is challenging in many cases. Additionally, hyperprolactinemia is associated with a significant negative impact on men's health, including sexual function and fertility potential, bone health, cardiovascular and metabolic complications, leading to decreased quality of life. In this review, we highlight the differences in pathogenesis, clinical presentation and treatment of PRLomas concerning the male sex.

Twisted Ovarian Cyst, Galactorrhea and Pituitary Hyperplasia Misdiagnosed as Prolactinoma: An Overlooked Longstanding Overt Hypothyroidism from Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

We describe a 14-year-old girl who was referred for management of a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma as she had persistent milky discharge from her nipples, an elevated prolactin level and pituitary enlargement. Upon reviewing the medical history, it was noted that she had a history of secondary amenorrhea for 1 year, and had undergone an oophorectomy for twisted left ovarian cyst 5 months earlier. The physical examination found that she had a goiter, short stature and was relatively overweight. Based on these findings, it was thought that the patient likely had longstanding overt hypothyroidism. A thyroid function test (TFT) revealed a free thyroxine (FT4) level of 0.2 ng/dL and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) &gt;100 mU/L, with high levels of antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) antibodies, leading to the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. After 8 months of levothyroxine treatment, the galactorrhea had disappeared, the pituitary enlargement had resolved and her menstruation had resumed normally, along with a 4-kg weight loss and 3-cm height gain. In summary, when evaluating a girl with ovarian cyst(s), especially if accompanied by other clinical findings like goiter, short stature, or menstrual irregularities, the physician should include hypothyroidism in the differential diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism can have a positive impact on the overall health and well-being of these patients, potentially preventing further complications related to both the thyroid disorder and ovarian cyst(s).

Salivary microbiome profiles for different clinical phenotypes of pituitary adenomas by single-molecular long-read sequencing.

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are common benign brain tumors. Although associations between the gastrointestinal microbiome and PA have been reported previously, studies on the distributions of salivary microbial species in PA patients and among their different clinical phenotypes are currently lacking. In this study, saliva samples from 42 patients and 20 healthy individuals were selected for third-generation sequencing. The PA group included four clinical phenotypes: adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting PA (n = 6), growth hormone-secreting PA (n = 9), prolactin-secreting PA (n = 18), and nonfunctioning PA (n = 9). All samples were sequenced, and the data were clustered and de-chimerized to obtain information regarding the abundance of operational taxonomic units. We found that the species distributions in the saliva of PA patients were more abundant than those of healthy individuals. A total of 82 genera were identified across all samples, of which 14 and 17 genera were more abundant in the saliva samples of patients with PA and healthy individuals, respectively. In the phenotypic functional prediction, the phenotypes of anaerobic and Gram-positive organisms were more commonly seen in patients with PA than in healthy individuals. The bioinformatics prediction indicated that multiple metabolic pathways were involved in the pathogenesis of PA. In conclusion, this study highlighted the associations of salivary microbiome profiles with PA, which may improve the existing understanding of the pathogenesis of PA and provide diagnostic and therapeutic targets for PA.IMPORTANCEThe gut and salivary microbiomes have been widely reported to be significantly associated with a number of neurological disorders. The stability of the microbiome in the oral cavity makes it a potentially ideal sample that can be conveniently obtained for the investigation of microbiome-based pathogenesis in diseases. In the present study, we used a single-molecule long-read sequencing technique to study the distribution of the salivary microbiota in patients with pituitary adenoma (PA) and healthy individuals, as well as among four clinical phenotypes of PA. We found that the diversity of salivary microbes was more abundant in PA patients than in healthy individuals. We also observed some unique genera in different PA phenotypes. The bioinformatics-based functional predictions identified potential links between microbes and different clinical phenotypes of PA. This study improves the existing understanding of the pathogenesis of PA and may provide diagnostic and therapeutic targets for PA.

THU553 Anti-tumor Effect Of Rosiglitazone Via Upregulating 15-PDGH In Prolactin Secreting Adenoma

Abstract Disclosure: C. Kang: None. J. Oh: None. E. Wang: None. S. Lee: None. J. Nam: None. J. Hong: None. E. Lee: None. C. Ku: None. Background: Rosiglitazone, a synthetic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ) ligand, are used to treat type II diabetes. Over the last few years, PPAR γ has received much attention for its ability to exert variable tumors. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-tumor effect of rosiglitazone on prolactin secreting pituitary adenomas and its mechanism. Materials &amp; Methods: Lactotroph cell line (GH4, MMQ) were treated with Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or rosiglitazone. In vitro analysis such as qPCR, immunoblot, prolactin (PRL) ELISA, Cell proliferation assay, and Fluorescence-activating cell sorting (FACS) analysis were performed to examine the effect of rosiglitazone on Lactotroph cell lines. Result: To investigate the direct effect of rosiglitazone on PRL secretion of the pituitary adenomas, GH4 and MMQ cells were treated with rosiglitazone 1, 5, 10, 50 μM for 72 hr. Both PRL mRNA and secretion levels were significantly decreased by rosiglitazone in a dose-dependent manner. In previous studies, 15-PDGH has been implicated as a tumor suppressor gene with the property that inhibits the tumor growth. Interestingly, 5 μM rosiglitazone upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of 15-PDGH in both GH4 (4.73-fold) and MMQ (4.04-fold) cells. Next, we investigated whether rosiglitazone had any effects on the proliferation of prolactinoma cells. Proliferation of the GH4 and MMQ cells were significantly decreased by rosiglitazone in a dose-dependent manner after treatment. Rosiglitazone potently induced cell cycle arrest in sub-G1inGH4 and MMQ cells. Furthermore, rosiglitazone treatment significantly increased both early (2.31-fold) and late apoptosis (1.9-fold) of GH4 and MMQ cells. Conclusion: These results collectively position 15-PDGH as a potential new therapeutic target for prolactinomas and implicate rosiglitazone as a possible alternative pharmacological approach for prolactinomas. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Diagnosis and management of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas: a Pituitary Society international Consensus Statement.

This Consensus Statement from an international, multidisciplinary workshop sponsored by the Pituitary Society offers evidence-based graded consensus recommendations and key summary points for clinical practice on the diagnosis and management of prolactinomas. Epidemiology and pathogenesis, clinical presentation of disordered pituitary hormone secretion, assessment of hyperprolactinaemia and biochemical evaluation, optimal use of imaging strategies and disease-related complications are addressed. In-depth discussions present the latest evidence on treatment of prolactinoma, including efficacy, adverse effects and options for withdrawal of dopamine agonist therapy, as well as indications for surgery, preoperative medical therapy and radiation therapy. Management of prolactinoma in special situations is discussed, including cystic lesions, mixed growth hormone-secreting and prolactin-secreting adenomas and giant andaggressive prolactinomas. Furthermore, considerations for pregnancy and fertility are outlined, as well as management of prolactinomas in children and adolescents, patients with an underlying psychiatric disorder, postmenopausal women, transgender individuals and patients with chronic kidney disease. The workshop concluded that, although treatment resistance is rare, there is a need for additional therapeutic options to address clinical challenges in treating these patients and a need to facilitate international registries to enable risk stratification and optimization of therapeutic strategies.

Modern concepts of genetic and immunohistochemical features of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas

Prolactinomas are the most common secreting adenomas of the pituitary. In 20% of cases resistance to dopamine-agonists treatment is observed. Medical therapy resistance causes progression of pathological symptoms of hyperprolactinemia and negative topographic and anatomical changes of prolactinoma. The causes of ineffectiveness of dopamine agonists therapy are not fully understood as well as approaches to managing patients require clarification. Current concepts of resistance are based on the data obtained as a result of surgery or after a period of long-term ineffective therapy. Thus, it is very important to find methods of assessing the sensitivity of prolactin-secreting adenomas to drug therapy before surgical treatment. Genetic and immunohistochemical studies find special place among these methods, making it possible to predict adenoma's response to drug therapy at early diagnostic stage. Obtained results will allow us to form personalized algorithm for managing patients.

Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma: Clinical, radiological features and predictors of response to dopamine agonists

Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)

Prolactin in headache and migraine: A systematic review of clinical studies.

To systemically review clinical studies investigating the role of prolactin and its receptors in headache and migraine. Migraine prevalence is more common in women compared to men. As prolactin is a crucial regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, prolactin and its receptors might contribute to signaling mechanisms underlying migraine. In this systematic review, we searched PubMed and EMBASE with the terms: prolactin, hyperprolactinemia, macroprolactinemia, hypoprolactinemia, migraine, headache, head pain and trigeminal pain pathway for clinical studies investigating prolactin signaling in headache and migraine. Two reviewers independently screened 841 articles for population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and study design. Studies were restricted to the English language and were excluded if they had a nonexperimental methodology. Nineteen clinical studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The main findings were that serum prolactin levels were found to be higher in individuals with migraine compared to healthy controls, and prolactinomas (prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas) were correlated with higher incidence of headache in otherwise healthy individuals and migraine attacks in individuals with migraine. Considerable evidence suggests a key role of prolactin and its receptors in migraine pathophysiology. Further randomized and placebo-controlled clinical studies targeting prolactin signaling are needed to further clarify influences of prolactin in migraine attack initiation.

ODP364 Prolactinomas in men: management challenges

Abstract Introduction Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary adenomas (Pas), with an estimated higher prevalence in women. Over 90% of prolactinomas are small, intrasellar tumors that rarely increase in size, but occasionally, these PAs can be aggressive or locally invasive and cause compression of vital structures. Usually, prolactinomas in male patients are large, invasive, but the reasons for the more aggressive course remain poorly understood. Also, male prolactinomas have a lower expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), which is associated with higher proliferation rates, resistance to dopamine agonists and a poor prognosis (1). Objective To investigate the impact of sex-related differences in prolactinomas. Material and Methods We analyzed 76 patients with confirmed diagnosis of prolactinomas. The patient`s information was collected retrospectively between 2018 and 2021. The patients had a mean age of 40,9 years old (range 18-77) and the majority were males (56,75%). We identified 15 patients (11 males, 4 females) with prolactin (PRL) secreting macroadenomas who underwent pituitary surgery (transsphenoidal, ten patients; transcranial five patients, and three of them had two transsphenoidal interventions and one of them had two transcranial interventions), four had also radiotherapy (three patients had high voltage radiation therapy and one had gamma knife radiosurgery). In the group of patients who underwent pituitary surgery, mean pre-operative maximal diameter was 35.65 ± 14.83 mm (6 giant prolactinomas, all of them in males) with mean PRL levels at presentation of 3640 ng/ml (range 560–16000), with significant higher levels observed in male patients. Eleven patients had visual field defects and the same number had panhypopituitarism with hormonal replacement therapy. Only two patients (females) are now normoprolactinemic without treatment with dopamine agonists. Nine tumors were considered invasive, according to Knosp classification (grade 3-4). Two female patients had remission of the disease following surgery. Nine patients had residual tumors after surgery, with controlled PRL secretion under treatment with dopamine agonists. The nuclear positive cells for Ki-67 were quantified by bright field microscopy (magnification x200) using QuantCenter software, its values ranging from 1% to 20%, with a value of 15-20% in the case of a male patient with giant prolactinoma with cavernous sinus invasion. Conclusion Significantly higher prolactin concentrations are observed in men as compared to women, in PRL secreting pituitary adenomas. The reasons for a more aggressive course of prolactinomas in men remain poorly understood, the higher rates of proliferation markers, such as the Ki-67 labeling index or the mitotic count, the low expression of ERα may explain the more aggressive behavior in men. Reference: Maiter D. Prolactinomas in Men. In: Tritos N., Klibanski A. (eds) Prolactin Disorders. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana, Cham, 2019. Pp 184-204. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11836-5_1 Presentation: No date and time listed

Prolactin immunoassay: does the high-dose hook effect still exist?

Measurement of prolactin in clinical laboratories is an important component in the management of patients with pituitary adenoma. Prolactin measurement is known to be sensitive to the high-dose hook effect, in the presence of extremely high prolactin concentrations. This interference is referred to in most recent articles discussing prolactin assays and the management of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas. The objective of our study was to evaluate if the high-dose hook effect remains relevant in current practice, when using currently available assays. Serum from a patient with a giant macroprolactinoma was assayed using all of the available prolactin assays in France in 2020, using native serum and after dilution. Technical inserts from assays were reviewed to assess the information on analytical principles, numbers of steps, and any reference to high dose hook effect. Fourteen assay kits were studied by 16 laboratories; all were two-site immunometric assays, mostly using one step (11/14). Results obtained after dilution varied from 17,900µg/L to 86,900µg/L depending on the assay used. One tested assay was sensitive to the high-dose hook effect leading to a falsely lower prolactin concentration when measuring native serum (150µg/L compared to 17,900µg/L after dilution). The high-dose hook effect still exists in a very small minority of prolactin assays. The evolution of assay methods may lead to new assays that remain sensitive to this effect in the future. We therefore advise that the hook effect should still be mentioned in prolactin assay recommendations.

Clinical features of hyperprolactinemia in children: modern methods of diagnosis and treatment

Hyperprolactinemia is a common endocrine disease that can be associated with significant morbidity and disability in the population. A systematic review of literature sources on the diagnosis and treatment results in patients with hyperprolactinemia, including drug-resistant micro- and macroadenomas of the pituitary gland, was carried out in order to highlight the most significant practical recommendations. The purpose of this literature review is to provide algorithms for differential diagnosis and clinical observation of patients, to compare the efficacy and side effects of drugs, surgeries, and radiation therapy in the treatment of hyperprolactinemia. Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary adenomas in older children. Their share in the structure of pituitary adenomas is about 50 %. The clinical picture depends on the age, sex of the child, volume and characteristics of tumor growth. The leading clinical manifestations of hyperprolactinemia are disorders of the reproductive system, including signs of the development of secondary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, sexual dysfunction, psychoemotional disorders, and endocrine and metabolic disorders. The main criterion for the diagnosis of hyperprolactinemia is the concentration of prolactin in the blood serum, which is above the upper limit of the physiological norm. The primary step in the treatment of patients with pituitary macroadenoma is to control the compression effects of the tumor, including compression of the optic chiasm, followed by restoration of gonadal function. The main areas of treatment for hyperprolactinemia are restoration and maintenance of the normal function of the gonads; restoration of fertility; prevention of osteoporosis. Dopamine receptor agonists are the gold standard in the treatment of hyperprolactinemia. However, some people do not respond satisfactorily to these drugs. In this case, in the presence of pituitary tumors, in addition to drug treatment, surgery and radiation therapy are used. But surgery and radiation therapy are not the primary methods of choice for the management of patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas; first of all, preference is given to drug therapy. The prognosis of the course of prolactinomas is favorable and is based on the results of dynamic observation and the presence of markers of the aggressiveness of this adenoma.

Application of Contrast-Enhanced 3-Dimensional T2-Weighted Volume Isotropic Turbo Spin Echo Acquisition Sequence in the Diagnosis of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Microadenomas

This study aimed to investigate the value of contrast-enhanced 3-dimensional (3D) T2-weighted (T2W) Volume Isotropic Turbo Spin Echo Acquisition (VISTA) sequence in prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma diagnosis. We enrolled 158 patients with hyperprolactinemia. Coronal dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) T1 spin echo and T2W VISTA sequences were performed. The detection of pituitary microadenomas in 3 imaging groups (DCE magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], VISTA, and DCE MRI + VISTA) were compared using McNemar test and χ2 test. The DCE MRI + VISTA group detected 28 more pituitary microlesions than DCE MRI alone. Among these, 20 lesions were clearly observed on VISTA images but were negative on DCE MRI. The combined sequences showed higher sensitivity (85.3%) and diagnostic accuracy (89.2%) for adenoma detection than any of the sequences alone (P < 0.01). We noted that in 65.7% of the patients with adenoma (46 of 70), a "hypointense rim" was present around the lesion on the VISTA images. Of them, 11 patients underwent surgery. Histopathology confirmed that the "hypointense rim" was a pseudocapsular structure at the edge of the adenoma. For patients with hyperprolactinemia, the 3D T2W VISTA sequence is an important supplement to DCE MRI, because it could improve the detection rate of pituitary microadenomas.

Evolution of a refractory prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma into a pituitary carcinoma: report of a challenging case and literature review

BackgroundPituitary carcinomas (PCs), defined as distant metastases of pituitary neoplasms, are very rare malignancies. Because the clinical presentation of PCs is variable, early diagnosis and management remain challenging. PCs are always refractory to comprehensive treatments, and patients with PCs have extremely poor prognoses.Case presentationWe describe one case of a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma (PA) refractory to conventional therapy that evolved into a PC with intraspinal metastasis. A 34-year-old female was diagnosed with an invasive prolactin-secreting PA in 2009 and was unresponsive to medical treatment with bromocriptine. The tumor was gross totally removed via transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). However, the patient experienced multiple tumor recurrences or regrowth despite comprehensive treatments, including medical therapy, two gamma knife radiosurgeries (GKSs), and four frontal craniotomies. In 2016, she was found to have an intradural extramedullary mass at the level of the fourth lumbar vertebra. The intraspinal lesion was completely resected and was confirmed as a metastatic PC based on histomorphology and immunohistochemical staining. The literature on the diagnosis, molecular pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis of patients with prolactin-secreting PCs was reviewed.ConclusionPCs are very rare neoplasms with variable clinical features and poor prognosis. Most PCs usually arise from aggressive PAs refractory to conventional therapy. There is no reliable marker to identify aggressive PAs with a risk for progression to PCs; thus, it is difficult to diagnose these PCs early until the presence of metastatic lesions. It is still very challenging to manage patients with PCs due to a lack of standardized protocols for diagnosis and treatment. Establishing molecular biomarkers and the pathobiology of PCs could help in the early identification of aggressive PAs most likely to evolve into PCs.

Neurosurgery in Treatment of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas

Neurosurgery in Treatment of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas

Anastrozole as add-on therapy for cabergoline-resistant prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas: real-life experience in male patients

IntroductionProlactin-secreting adenoma (PRLoma) can present as large and invasive neoplasm, with increased markers of cellular proliferation. First-line approach is Dopamine Agonists (DAs) treatment; however, DA-resistance has been reported, especially in male patients. Estrogens induce lactotroph cell replication and PRL secretion: the use of anti-estrogen treatment in patients with PRLoma have been described in few cases. We reported our experience regarding treatment with the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (ANA) as add-on therapy for male patients with DA resistant PRLoma.Materials and methodsWe describe four male patients (26, 38, 29 and 19 years old at diagnosis), with PRLoma (median diameter 26 mm, PRL 7730 μg/L). They were resistant to cabergoline (CAB, > 2 mg/week) in terms of PRL secretion and tumor size reduction. ANA 1 mg/day was added to the maximum tolerated dose of CAB for at least 1 year. Magnetic Resonance was performed at baseline, after 6 months of CAB + ANA combination and every 12 months afterward.ResultsPRL levels decreased in all patients after CAB + ANA (mean − 70%, range − 44/− 97%), achieving a normalization of PRL levels in one case. Tumor size decreased in all cases (mean − 47%, range − 24.5/− 68%). No severe adverse effects have been reported, a moderate weight gain has been observed in two cases.ConclusionsAddition of an aromatase inhibitor (ANA) to the dopamine agonist therapy improved the control of prolactin levels and induced tumour regression.

TSH, GH, and Prolactin Producing Pituitary Adenoma: An Unusual Case Presentation

Background: Pituitary adenomas are benign and frequent tumors, some of them with tendency to be recurrent or invasive e. several pituitary tumors are positive for secretion of one or more hormones of the same adenohypophysial cell lineage. However, some cases have a subclinical course and are underestimated because they have plurihormonal secretion of different adenohypophyseal cells lineage. Clinical Case: A 38 years old women with chronic headaches, who is in fertility treatment for 12 month ago presents to the clinic with unremarkable physical examination. Her laboratory studies include: Normal campimetry. T3 (triiodothyronine) 2.15 ng/m L (NR:0.8 - 2.0), TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) 4.4 uU/mL (NR:0.27 - 4.2), T4 (tetraiodothyronine) 13.54 ug/dl, (NR:5.1 - 14.1), Free T4 2.44 ng/d (NR:0.93 - 1.7), Estradiol 60.2 pg/ml, FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) 4.3 mUI/ml (NR:1,7-12), Cortisol (?8 am) 9.29 ug/dl (NR:4.2 - 38.4), ACTH (Corticotrophin-releasing hormone) 13.1 pg/ml (NR: 0.0 - 46.0), Somatomedin C (IGF-1) 231 .0 ng/ml (NR for age?: 57.0-241.0). Brain MRI with pituitary protocol showed in T1 an isointense lesion and slightly heterogeneous in T2 in the anterior and left aspect of the turkish saddle, of 1 x 1.1 x 1.1 cm of anteroposterior, transverse and cephalocaudal diameter, suggestive of a macroadenoma. The tumor pathology showed, possitive for a pituitary adenoma. Immunohistochemistry results were negative for: ACTH:, positive for GH, TSH: (+++) and for Prolactin:. Her post-operative findings showed a residual pituitary gland without significant findings. Her post operative pituitary axis include: Sodium 139.2 mmol/l (NR”135.0 - 145.0), Chloride 100.8 mmol/l (NR95.0 - 115.0), Potassium 3.71 mmol/l (NR3.5 - 5.1), ACTH 4.1 pg/ml(NR0.0 - 46.0), Cortisol (am) 11.11 ug/dl (NR4.2 - 38.4), Estradiol 106.5 pg/ml, FSH 5.1 mUI/ml, LH (Luteinizing Hormone) 13.53 mIU/ml, Somatomedin C (IGF-1) 134 .0 ng/m, Free T32.4 pg/ml, TSH 0.9 uU/mL Free T4 0.99 ng/dl, and Prolactin 23.4ng/ml. Patient had a satisfactory clinical course after surgery, she maintained normal pituitary function without requirement of hormonal replacement therapy. Conclusion: We present a a prolactin, TSH and GH secreting pituitary adenoma case, which is very unusual. It i is important to make a proper pituitary evaluation, and offer effective treatment to prevent complications