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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
PTTG overexpression in non-functioning pituitary adenomas: Correlation with invasiveness, female gender and younger
Geraldine Trott1, Bárbara Roberta Ongaratti1, Camila Batista de Oliveira Silva1
1PostGraduate Program in Pathology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, CEP: 90050-170 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Neuroendocrinology Center, Santa Casa de Porto Alegre/UFCSPA, Rua Professor Annes Dias, 295, CEP: 90020-090 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Background:
Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) are prevalent pituitary neoplasms. Because they do not present with hormonal hypersecretion, there is no marker that indicates regrowth or recurrence, as in other adenomas.
Objectives:
Evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of PTTG, CD105 and Ki-67 and their relationships with age, gender, invasiveness, hormonal expression and regrowth or recurrence in the follow-up of NFPA operated and not submitted to radiotherapy.
Methods:
Included 56 patients submitted to transsphenoidal surgery. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. The invasion degree was obtained by Hardy's classification.
Results:
Mean age 55 ± 13.6 years, 62.5% men and 68% invasive. Lesion persistence was present in 62.2% and regrowth in 35.7%. The recurrence-free survival rate was 94.5%, 75.4% and 69.1% (1, 2 and 3 years). No patient presented recurrence. The PTTG was positive in 55.3%, with statistically significant relationship with invasiveness, age and female gender, without relation to regrowth. The microvascular density showed statistically significant relationship with male gender, negative correlation with PTTG (r = -0.434, p = 0.001), and no relation with invasiveness and regrowth. The Ki-67 showed statistically significant relationship with age, tendency towards regrowth (p = 0.054) and, with no relation to invasiveness.
Conclusions:
It is suggested that PTTG can be used as a prognostic marker in NFPA.
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