[Long-term results of radiation therapy for pituitary adenoma--analysis of 386 cases]

A total of 386 cases of pituitary adenoma treated in our hospital from Jan. 1963 to Jan. 1986 is reported. Of them, 117 were treated by operation alone, 97 by radiotherapy alone and 172 by operation plus radiotherapy. 119 cases (group A) treated before April 1980 were mostly diagnosed by pneumoencephalography or cerebral angiography, treated, by conventional operation, followed by radiation therapy with 60Co or linear accelerator. 267 cases (group B) treated after April 1980 arrived at the correct diagnoses by CT scan and endocrine assay, treated by microsurgery, followed by radiotherapy with linear accelerator. All patients were followed for 2-23 years. The response rates of groups A and B were 90.7% and 94%. The results were better in patients treated by surgery combined with irradiation. The recurrence rate of radiation or surgery alone was higher than that of combined therapy. It is indicated that the optimal treatment for pituitary adenoma is surgery combined with radiotherapy. Besides, the introduction of CT scan and microsurgery has improved the diagnosis and treatment results of pituitary adenoma.