Long term treatment of a thyrotropin secreting adenoma with somatostatin analogues

Thyrotropin secreting adenomas (TSH-omas) account for less than 1% of all pituitary adenomas and are a rare cause of hyperthyroidism. Most cases correspond to macroadenomas, microadenomas being exceptional. Differential diagnosis should be made with resistance to thyroid hormones. The first line treatment is transphenoidal surgery. When surgery is unsuccessful, somatostatin analogues are a therapeutic alternative. We report a patient with a TSH-secreting microadenoma. The microadenoma was resected through the transsphenoidal route. Because surgery was unsuccessful, medical therapy with somatostatin analogue was initiated. Currently, 9 years later, the patient continues to be under treatment with somatostatin analogue therapy, which has controlled the hyperthyroidism and tumoral growth. We describe successful long-term treatment of a TSH-oma with somatostatin analogue therapy when surgery is unsuccessful.