[Management of prolactinomas: what's new in 2010?]

Prolactinomas represent the most frequent pituitary adenomas. Dopaminergic agonists, especially cabergoline, are the first choice treatment. The efficacy of cabergoline in the normalization of prolactin level and in the tumoral volume reduction is well documented. Following more than two years of cabergoline treatment, in case the level of prolactin is normalized and the MRI shows no tumor residue, the medication can be withdrawn with chance of remission. Valvular heart disease has been associated with cabergoline in patients with Parkinson's disease. However due to the lack of systematic data on the subject, cabergoline is still prescribed in case of prolactinoma. Echocardiography could be proposed as a follow up diagnostics to the subjects treated with high dose of cabergoline for a long period.