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Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983) Dec 2021Hyperprolactinemia, defined by a level of serum prolactin above the standard upper limit of normal range, is a common finding in clinical practice and prolactinomas are... (Review)
Review
Hyperprolactinemia, defined by a level of serum prolactin above the standard upper limit of normal range, is a common finding in clinical practice and prolactinomas are the main pathological cause. Prolactinomas lead to signs and symptoms of hormone oversecretion, such as galactorrhea and hypogonadism, as well as symptoms of mass effect, including visual impairment, headaches and intracranial hypertension. Diagnosis involves prolactin measurement and sellar imaging, but several pitfalls are involved in this evaluation, which may difficult the proper management. Treatment is medical in the majority of cases, consisting of dopamine agonists, which present high response rates, with a very favorable safety profile. Major adverse effects that should be monitored consist of cardiac valvulopathy and impulse control disorders. Other treatment options include surgery and radiotherapy. Temozolomide may be used for aggressive or malignant carcinomas. Finally, pregnancy outcomes are similar to general population even when dopamine agonist treatment is maintained.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders; Dopamine Agonists; Female; Galactorrhea; Humans; Hyperprolactinemia; Hypogonadism; Pituitary Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Prolactin; Prolactinoma; Sella Turcica; Temozolomide
PubMed: 34687915
DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104080 -
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology... Aug 2023Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary tumor histotype, with microprolactinomas being prevalent in women and macroprolactinomas in men. Hyperprolactinemia is among... (Review)
Review
Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary tumor histotype, with microprolactinomas being prevalent in women and macroprolactinomas in men. Hyperprolactinemia is among the most common causes of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in both sexes, prompting medical advice for hypogonadism (infertility, oligo-amenorrhea, impotence, osteoporosis/osteopenia) in both sexes, and for signs and symptoms of mass effects (hypopituitarism, visual loss, optic chiasm compression, cranial nerve deficits, headaches) predominantly in men. Diagnostic workup involves a single prolactin measurement and pituitary imaging, but some laboratory artifacts (ie, the "hook effect" and macroprolactin) can complicate or delay the diagnosis. The treatment of choice for prolactinomas is represented by dopamine agonists, mainly cabergoline, which are able to induce disease control, restore fertility in both sexes, and definitively cure one-third of patients, thus permitting treatment discontinuation. Pregnancy and menopause may promote spontaneous prolactin decline and anticipate cabergoline discontinuation in women. Surgery and/or radiotherapy are indicated in case of resistance to cabergoline not overcome by the increase in drug dose up to the maximally tolerated or the patient's personal choice of surgery. The evidence of resistance to cabergoline in invasive and proliferative tumors may indicate biological aggressiveness, thus requiring alternative therapeutic approaches mainly based on temozolomide use as monotherapy or combined with radiotherapy. In uncontrolled patients, new medical approaches (alternative hormonal treatments, cytotoxic drugs, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, mTOR/Akt inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or immunotherapy) may be offered but the experience collected to date is still very scant. This article reviews different facets of prolactinomas and discusses approaches to the condition in more common clinical situations.
Topics: Male; Pregnancy; Humans; Female; Prolactinoma; Cabergoline; Prolactin; Ergolines; Pituitary Neoplasms; Dopamine Agonists; Hypogonadism
PubMed: 36974474
DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad174 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Aug 2022Prolactinomas are the commonest form of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET), representing approximately half of such tumors. Dopamine agonists (DAs) have... (Review)
Review
Prolactinomas are the commonest form of pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET), representing approximately half of such tumors. Dopamine agonists (DAs) have traditionally been the primary treatment for the majority of prolactinomas, with surgery considered the second line. The aim of this review is to examine the historical and modern management of prolactinomas, including medical therapy with DAs, transsphenoidal surgery, and multimodality therapy for the treatment of aggressive prolactinomas and metastatic PitNETs, with an emphasis on the efficacy, safety, and future directions of current therapeutic modalities. DAs have been the mainstay of prolactinoma management since the 1970s, initially with bromocriptine and more recently with cabergoline. Cabergoline normalizes prolactin in up to 85% of patients and causes tumor shrinkage in up to 80%. Primary surgical resection of microprolactinomas and enclosed macroprolactinomas performed by experienced pituitary neurosurgeons have similar remission rates to cabergoline. Aggressive prolactinomas and metastatic PitNETS should receive multimodality therapy including high dose cabergoline, surgery, radiation therapy (preferably using stereotactic radiosurgery where suitable), and temozolomide. DAs remain a reliable mode of therapy for most prolactinomas but results from transsphenoidal surgery in expert hands have improved considerably over the last one to two decades. Surgery should be strongly considered as primary therapy, particularly in the setting of microprolactinomas, non-invasive macroprolactinomas, or prior to attempting pregnancy, and has an important role in the management of DA resistant and aggressive prolactinomas.
Topics: Bromocriptine; Cabergoline; Dopamine Agonists; Female; Humans; Pituitary Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Prolactinoma; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 36013562
DOI: 10.3390/medicina58081095 -
Neuroendocrinology 2019An appropriate diagnostic evaluation is essential for the most appropriate treatment to be performed. Currently, macroprolactinemia is the third most frequent cause of... (Review)
Review
An appropriate diagnostic evaluation is essential for the most appropriate treatment to be performed. Currently, macroprolactinemia is the third most frequent cause of nonphysiological hyperprolactinemia after drugs and prolactinomas. Up to 40% of macroprolactinemic patients may present with hypogonadism symptoms, infertility, and/or galactorrhea. Thus, the screening for macroprolactin is indicated not only for asymptomatic subjects but also for those without an obvious cause for their prolactin (PRL) elevation. Before submitting patients to macroprolactin screening and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging, one should rule out pregnancy, drug-induced hyperprolactinemia, primary hypothyroidism, and renal failure. The magnitude of PRL elevation can be useful in determining the etiology of hyperprolactinemia. PRL values >250 ng/mL are highly suggestive of prolactinomas and virtually exclude nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) and other sellar masses as the etiology of hyperprolactinemia. However, they can also be found in subjects with macroprolactinemia, drug-induced hyper-prolactinemia or chronic renal failure. By contrast, most patients with NFPAs, drug-induced hyperprolactinemia, macroprolactinemia, or systemic diseases present with PRL levels <100 ng/mL. However, exceptions to these rules are not rare. Indeed, up to 25% of patients harboring a microprolactinoma or a cystic macroprolactinoma may also have PRL <100 ng/mL. Falsely low PRL levels may result from the so-called "hook effect," which should be considered in all cases of large (≥3 cm) pituitary adenomas associated with normal or mildly elevated PRL levels (≤250 ng/mL). The hook effect may be unmasked by repeating PRL measurement after a 1:100 serum sample dilution.
Topics: Female; Humans; Hyperprolactinemia; Male
PubMed: 30889571
DOI: 10.1159/000499694 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger May 2019In this review, we discuss pituitary adenomas (PA), which account for 10-25% of the intracranial tumours. Despite their benign nature, PA often show invasive growth.... (Review)
Review
In this review, we discuss pituitary adenomas (PA), which account for 10-25% of the intracranial tumours. Despite their benign nature, PA often show invasive growth. Pressure on neighbouring structures may cause hypopituitarism or vision field impairment. For PA, except prolactinomas, surgical treatment is first choice. The primary surgical technique is transsphenoidal surgery. Pituitary function, vision and post-operative magnetic resonance imaging scan is evaluated in a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons and endocrinologist 6-8 weeks post-operatively. Follow-up and treatment of pituitary adenomas is highly specialised and requires a team of dedicated endocrinologists and neurosurgeons.
Topics: Adenoma; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pituitary Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31124446
DOI: No ID Found -
Cancers Jul 2022Prolactinomas comprise 30-50% of all pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, frequently occur in females aged 20 to 50, and cause hypogonadism and infertility. In typical... (Review)
Review
Prolactinomas comprise 30-50% of all pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, frequently occur in females aged 20 to 50, and cause hypogonadism and infertility. In typical cases, female patients exhibit galactorrhea and amenorrhea due to serum prolactin (PRL) elevation, and patients during pregnancy should be carefully treated. During diagnosis, other causes of hyperprolactinemia must be excluded, and an MRI is useful for detecting pituitary neuroendocrine tumors. For treating prolactinoma, dopamine agonists (DAs) are effective for decreasing PRL levels and shrinking tumor size in most patients. Some DA-resistant cases and the molecular mechanisms of resistance to a DA are partially clarified. The side effects of a DA include cardiac valve alterations and impulse control disorders. Although surgical therapies are invasive, recent analysis shows that long-term remission rates are higher than from medical therapies. The treatments for giant or malignant prolactinomas are challenging, and the combination of medication, surgery, and radiation therapy should be considered. Regarding pathogenesis, somatic SF3B1 mutations were recently identified even though molecular mechanisms in most cases of prolactinoma have not been elucidated. To understand the pathogenesis of prolactinomas, the development of new therapeutic approaches for treatment-resistant patients is expected. This review updates the recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy of prolactinoma.
PubMed: 35892862
DOI: 10.3390/cancers14153604 -
Neuroendocrinology 2019
Topics: Humans; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Neoplasms; Prolactinoma
PubMed: 31167201
DOI: 10.1159/000500723