Pituitary adenoma: a clinician's perspective

To review the underlying causes of pituitary lesions, a rational approach to their diagnosis, and therapeutic options.

The types of pituitary lesions and their clinical manifestations are reviewed, and treatment strategies and long-term follow-up are discussed.

A pituitary adenoma is quite common and poses a challenge to the clinician to determine the clinical significance, the appropriate diagnosis, the need for treatment, and the appropriate therapy or therapies. The treatment of a pituitary adenoma depends on the type of tumor; a prolactinoma is treated medically with a dopamine agonist drug, and other lesions are usually treated by transsphenoidal surgical removal. Replacement of a deficient hormone or hormones is necessary for optimal functioning. Some patients require more than one treatment, including surgical intervention, replacement of a hormone or hormones, medications to lower hormone hypersecretion to normal (for prolactinoma, acromegaly, or Cushing disease), pituitary radiation therapy (optimally with focused irradiation such as the Gamma Knife or LINEAC), and, in the situation of persistent Cushing disease, bilateral adrenalectomy as a last resort. Lifelong monitoring is necessary for all these patients.

The goal is to decrease the mass effect of the adenoma, to restore normal pituitary function, and to suppress hormone hypersecretion. Achievement of this goal necessitates the cooperation and interdisciplinary efforts of several medical specialties.