Current Concepts in Pituitary Pathology

The pituitary is an important gland that secretes hormones, which are critical for metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Our knowledge of the diseases that can affect this small gland has expanded significantly, allowing us to better understand the various inflammatory and neoplastic lesions that result in altered hormone production and/or mass effects in the sella turcica at the base of the skull. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the classification of hypophysitis and tumors that arise from pituitary adenohypophysial cells, now recognized as pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, as well as unusual tumors that arise in the posterior pituitary and hypothalamus. We emphasize the importance of immunohistochemistry in the accurate diagnosis of sellar lesions, and we show how proper classification of these tumors leads to a better understanding of their clinical features, pathogenesis, and therapy.