Acidophil stem-cell pituitary adenoma in a prepubescent female. Case report

Acidophil stem-cell pituitary adenomas account for less than 5% of pituitary tumors. Only 15 cases have previously been reported, with a mean age of occurrence of 38.7 years. A case of this unusual tumor is reported in a prepubertal girl. Clinical symptoms included prominent behavioral disturbance with associated headache and visual disturbance. There was marked elevation of serum growth hormone concentration without clinical features of growth hormone excess, suggesting that this tumor has the capacity to excrete biologically inactive hormones. The clinical and pathological features of this unusual invasive pituitary tumor are reviewed; the age spectrum for this neoplasm must be expanded to include prepubertal children.