India's March towards Development of Treatment for Pituitary Tumors

Although low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) bear the burden of the pituitary adenomas, most research is conducted in developed countries. However, there has been significant growth in research on pituitary adenomas in India from 1995 to 2020. The cost of patient treatment, management, and surgery of pituitary lesions are comparatively lower in India in comparison to high income countries.

The intended goal is to highlight the current scenario of pituitary research in India with regards to prevalence/incidence, tumor size, treatment modalities, cost of pituitary surgery, and potential strategies for tackling pituitary adenoma disease burden in the country.

In addition to the literature review, recommendations were included from neurosurgeons, endocrinologists, and radiologists from various centers in India.

There is an increasing evidence of pituitary adenoma heterogeneity compared to western populations. Although there has been significant increase in research on pituitary tumors from India, it is considerably less as compared to the data from the rest of the world. The major challenges for the treatment of this benign disease in India are lack of imaging facility in rural areas, poor patient follow up, and financial constraints for periodic imaging and biochemical assessment.

A computerized pituitary registry and genetic screening and testing will significantly boost research and lead to better patient outcome in the country. Special emphasis should be laid on multimodal management to ascertain optimal long-term tumor control with best hormonal outcome.