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International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2023Recently, advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have allowed a more thorough understanding of tumorigenesis in aggressive PitNETs (pituitary neuroendocrine... (Review)
Review
Recently, advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have allowed a more thorough understanding of tumorigenesis in aggressive PitNETs (pituitary neuroendocrine tumors) through the identification of specific essential genes, crucial molecular pathways, regulators, and effects of the tumoral microenvironment. Target therapies have been developed to cure oncology patients refractory to traditional treatments, introducing the concept of precision medicine. Preliminary data on PitNETs are derived from preclinical studies conducted on cell cultures, animal models, and a few case reports or small case series. This study comprehensively reviews the principal pathways involved in aggressive PitNETs, describing the potential target therapies. A search was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science for English papers published between 1 January 2004, and 15 June 2023. 254 were selected, and the topics related to aggressive PitNETs were recorded and discussed in detail: epigenetic aspects, membrane proteins and receptors, metalloprotease, molecular pathways, PPRK, and the immune microenvironment. A comprehensive comprehension of the molecular mechanisms linked to PitNETs' aggressiveness and invasiveness is crucial. Despite promising preliminary findings, additional research and clinical trials are necessary to confirm the indications and effectiveness of target therapies for PitNETs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pituitary Neoplasms; Pituitary Gland; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Aggression; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 37958702
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115719 -
Cephalalgia : An International Journal... Feb 2023To systemically review clinical studies investigating the role of prolactin and its receptors in headache and migraine. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To systemically review clinical studies investigating the role of prolactin and its receptors in headache and migraine.
BACKGROUND
Migraine prevalence is more common in women compared to men. As prolactin is a crucial regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, prolactin and its receptors might contribute to signaling mechanisms underlying migraine.
METHODS
In this systematic review, we searched PubMed and EMBASE with the terms: prolactin, hyperprolactinemia, macroprolactinemia, hypoprolactinemia, migraine, headache, head pain and trigeminal pain pathway for clinical studies investigating prolactin signaling in headache and migraine. Two reviewers independently screened 841 articles for population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and study design. Studies were restricted to the English language and were excluded if they had a nonexperimental methodology.
RESULTS
Nineteen clinical studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The main findings were that serum prolactin levels were found to be higher in individuals with migraine compared to healthy controls, and prolactinomas (prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas) were correlated with higher incidence of headache in otherwise healthy individuals and migraine attacks in individuals with migraine.
CONCLUSION
Considerable evidence suggests a key role of prolactin and its receptors in migraine pathophysiology. Further randomized and placebo-controlled clinical studies targeting prolactin signaling are needed to further clarify influences of prolactin in migraine attack initiation.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Prolactin; Headache; Prolactinoma; Migraine Disorders; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Neoplasms
PubMed: 36718026
DOI: 10.1177/03331024221136286 -
Neuroendocrinology 2012Previous studies attempting to define the natural history of postoperative nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (pNFPAs) were somewhat limited by selection bias and/or... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies attempting to define the natural history of postoperative nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (pNFPAs) were somewhat limited by selection bias and/or small numbers and/or lack of consistency among the study findings. The aim of this study was to scrutinize the literature in order to analyze the natural history of pNFPAs.
METHODS
Electronic database including MEDLINE, PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched. The literature relating to the patients with pNFPAs without postoperative radiotherapy and pharmacotherapy was collected. Eligible studies reported on the rate of tumor recurrence, the tumor growth-free survival rate (TGFSR) at 5 and 10 years, and/or the residual tumor volume doubling time (TVDT).
RESULTS
19 studies met the criteria. The pNFPAs were divided into two groups: the pooled recurrence rate of group I without detectable residual tumor (371 patients) was 12% (95% CI 6-19%), the TGFSR at 5 and 10 years were 96% (95% CI 89-99%) and 82% (95% CI 65-94%), respectively. The pooled recurrence rate of group II with residual tumor (600 patients) was 46% (95% CI 36-56%), the TGFSR at 5 and 10 years were 56% (95% CI 41-71%) and 40% (95% CI 27-53%), respectively. The mean TVDT was 3.4 years (95% CI 2.4-4.5 years).
CONCLUSIONS
pNFPAs, with or without detectable residual tumor, need stratification of treatment and radiological/endocrinological follow-up strategy. According to the TVDT, residual tumor regrowth is very slow, which permits an extensive and safe follow-up program for most patients.
Topics: Adenoma; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Pituitary Neoplasms; Postoperative Care; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 22687984
DOI: 10.1159/000339823 -
Neurosurgical Review Sep 2023Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is a novel surgical technique requiring specific training. Different models and simulators have been recently suggested for it, but no... (Review)
Review
Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is a novel surgical technique requiring specific training. Different models and simulators have been recently suggested for it, but no systematic review is available. To provide a systematic and critical literature review and up-to-date description of the training models or simulators dedicated to endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. A search was performed on PubMed and Scopus databases for articles published until February 2023; Google was also searched to document commercially available. For each model, the following features were recorded: training performed, tumor/arachnoid reproduction, assessment and validation, and cost. Of the 1199 retrieved articles, 101 were included in the final analysis. The described models can be subdivided into 5 major categories: (1) enhanced cadaveric heads; (2) animal models; (3) training artificial solutions, with increasing complexity (from "box-trainers" to multi-material, ct-based models); (4) training simulators, based on virtual or augmented reality; (5) Pre-operative planning models and simulators. Each available training model has specific advantages and limitations. Costs are high for cadaver-based solutions and vary significantly for the other solutions. Cheaper solutions seem useful only for the first stages of training. Most models do not provide a simulation of the sellar tumor, and a realistic simulation of the suprasellar arachnoid. Most artificial models do not provide a realistic and cost-efficient simulation of the most delicate and relatively common phase of surgery, i.e., tumor removal with arachnoid preservation; current research should optimize this to train future neurosurgical generations efficiently and safely.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Endoscopy; Cadaver; Computer Simulation; Databases, Factual; Skull Base Neoplasms
PubMed: 37725193
DOI: 10.1007/s10143-023-02149-3 -
Acta Neurochirurgica Sep 2023Although there is an increasing body of evidence showing gender differences in various medical domains as well as presentation and biology of pituitary adenoma (PA),... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Although there is an increasing body of evidence showing gender differences in various medical domains as well as presentation and biology of pituitary adenoma (PA), gender differences regarding outcome of patients who underwent transsphenoidal resection of PA are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify gender differences in PA surgery.
METHODS
The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched up to April 2023 to identify eligible articles. Quality appraisal and extraction were performed in duplicate.
RESULTS
A total of 40 studies including 4989 patients were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Our analysis showed odds ratio of postoperative biochemical remission in males vs. females of 0.83 (95% CI 0.59-1.15, P = 0.26), odds ratio of gross total resection in male vs. female patients of 0.68 (95% CI 0.34-1.39, P = 0.30), odds ratio of postoperative diabetes insipidus in male vs. female patients of 0.40 (95% CI 0.26-0.64, P < 0.0001), and a mean difference of preoperative level of prolactin in male vs. female patients of 11.62 (95% CI - 119.04-142.27, P = 0.86).
CONCLUSIONS
There was a significantly higher rate of postoperative DI in female patients after endoscopic or microscopic transsphenoidal PA surgery, and although there was some data in isolated studies suggesting influence of gender on postoperative biochemical remission, rate of GTR, and preoperative prolactin levels, these findings could not be confirmed in this meta-analysis and demonstrated no statistically significant effect. Further research is needed and future studies concerning PA surgery should report their data by gender or sexual hormones and ideally further assess their impact on PA surgery.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Treatment Outcome; Prolactin; Retrospective Studies; Pituitary Neoplasms; Adenoma; Hormones; Postoperative Complications
PubMed: 37555999
DOI: 10.1007/s00701-023-05726-z -
Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics Sep 2022DICER1-mutant malignant brain neoplasms are very rare tumors, and published data have relied on case reports or small case series. In this review, the authors aimed to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
DICER1-mutant malignant brain neoplasms are very rare tumors, and published data have relied on case reports or small case series. In this review, the authors aimed to systematically summarize the types and distribution patterns of DICER1 mutations, clinicopathological characteristics, and prognostic outcomes of these tumors.
METHODS
The authors searched PubMed and Web of Science for relevant studies. They included studies if they provided individual patient data of primary malignant brain tumors carrying DICER1 mutations.
RESULTS
The authors found 16 studies consisting of 9 embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMRs), 30 pineoblastomas, 52 primary intracranial sarcomas, and 27 pituitary blastomas. Pineoblastoma, ETMR, and pituitary blastoma were more likely to carry DICER1 germline mutations, while only a small subset of primary intracranial sarcomas harbored these mutations (p < 0.001). Nearly 80% of tumors with germline mutations also had another somatic mutation in DICER1. ETMR and primary intracranial sarcoma were associated with an increased risk for tumor progression and relapse compared with pituitary blastoma and pineoblastoma (p = 0.0025), but overall survival (OS) was not significantly different. Gross-total resection (GTR) and radiotherapy administration were associated with prolonged OS.
CONCLUSIONS
ETMR, pineoblastoma, primary intracranial sarcoma, and pituitary blastoma should be considered rare phenotypes of the DICER1 syndrome, and families should be counseled and screened for associated tumors. ETMR and primary intracranial sarcoma had a higher risk of relapse. GTR and radiotherapy appeared to improve the OS of patients with DICER1-mutant malignant intracranial tumors.
PubMed: 35901678
DOI: 10.3171/2022.6.PEDS22119 -
Endokrynologia Polska 2021Although histopathology remains in the first line of the diagnosis of pituitary pathology, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology are currently in charge of...
INTRODUCTION
Although histopathology remains in the first line of the diagnosis of pituitary pathology, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology are currently in charge of providing a more accurate characterisation of tumours in this field.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was performed, using the PubMed and SCOPUS databases, with terms that included transcription factors involved in the development of pituitary tumours: T-PIT, PIT-1, and SF-1.
RESULTS
The results showed different perspectives, but the evidence is in favour of a multifold immunohistochemical analysis that must include pituitary transcription factors for a highly accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and guidance of (multimodal) therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
By using transcription factors, the understanding of the structure and function of the recently defined pituitary neuroendocrine tumours has made significant progress. This approach brings the (sub)classification of pituitary tumours, using cell types and cell lineages, with clinical and molecular implications and therapeutic results.
Topics: Homeodomain Proteins; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Pituitary Gland; Pituitary Neoplasms; T-Box Domain Proteins; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 33749818
DOI: 10.5603/EP.a2020.0090 -
Pituitary Oct 2021Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea (CSFR) remains a frequent complication of endonasal approaches to pituitary and skull base tumours. Watertight skull base...
PURPOSE
Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea (CSFR) remains a frequent complication of endonasal approaches to pituitary and skull base tumours. Watertight skull base reconstruction is important in preventing CSFR. We sought to systematically review the current literature of available skull base repair techniques.
METHODS
Pubmed and Embase databases were searched for studies (2000-2020) that (a) reported on the endonasal resection of pituitary and skull base tumours, (b) focussed on skull base repair techniques and/or postoperative CSFR risk factors, and (c) included CSFR data. Roles, advantages and disadvantages of each repair method were detailed. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed where possible.
RESULTS
193 studies were included. Repair methods were categorised based on function and anatomical level. There was absolute heterogeneity in repair methods used, with no independent studies sharing the same repair protocol. Techniques most commonly used for low CSFR risk cases were fat grafts, fascia lata grafts and synthetic grafts. For cases with higher CSFR risk, multilayer regimes were utilized with vascularized flaps, gasket sealing and lumbar drains. Lumbar drain use for high CSFR risk cases was supported by a randomised study (Oxford CEBM: Grade B recommendation), but otherwise there was limited high-level evidence. Pooled CSFR incidence by approach was 3.7% (CI 3-4.5%) for transsphenoidal, 9% (CI 7.2-11.3%) for expanded endonasal, and 5.3% (CI 3.4-7%) for studies describing both. Further meaningful meta-analyses of repair methods were not performed due to significant repair protocol heterogeneity.
CONCLUSIONS
Modern reconstructive protocols are heterogeneous and there is limited evidence to suggest the optimal repair technique after pituitary and skull base tumour resection. Further studies are needed to guide practice.
Topics: Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak; Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea; Endoscopy; Humans; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies; Skull Base; Skull Base Neoplasms
PubMed: 33973152
DOI: 10.1007/s11102-021-01145-4 -
Computational Intelligence and... 2022The first-line treatment for patients with any type of pituitary adenoma is trans-sphenoidal surgery. Considering the prevalence of the condition globally, the treatment... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Recurrence Rate and Exploration of Clinical Factors after Pituitary Adenoma Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis based on Computer Artificial Intelligence System.
BACKGROUND
The first-line treatment for patients with any type of pituitary adenoma is trans-sphenoidal surgery. Considering the prevalence of the condition globally, the treatment is quite common. The recurrence of pituitary adenoma is a recognized occurrence in the medical field; however, there is limited comprehensive research and analysis of the predictive factors of recurrence rates and the clinical factors impacting relapse rates. Identifying the recurrence rates of pituitary adenomas and the clinical factors associated with them could help increase the remission rate by increasing focus on the specific aspects for early diagnosis and improved treatment.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the current systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the recurrent rates based on previous studies and to explore the clinical factors after pituitary surgery.
METHODS
A search was performed on PubMed, APA PsycINFO, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar databases for English articles published from 1 January 2010 to 1 August 2022. Systematic reviews, meta-analysis, evidence syntheses, editorials, commentaries, preclinical studies, abstracts, theses, and preprints were excluded. Meta XL statistical software was used to conduct a prevalence meta-analysis.
RESULTS
PubMed, PsycINFO, and Medline databases were searched. All of the articles were written between 2012 and 2022. In the beginning, 612 items were recognized. After removing duplicates and analyzing the remaining articles in terms of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 31 articles remained.
CONCLUSION
There is a relationship between recurrence rates and the follow-up period. There were conflicting results about the clinical factors after pituitary adenoma surgery, specifically age and tumor size. Some included studies that there was an association between macroadenomas and high recurrence rates. No study reported that gender was a clinical factor affecting pituitary adenoma surgery outcomes or the recurrence rate. Studies also reported that there was a correlation between the remnant tumor factor and the recurrence rates; adenoma remnants after surgery increased the risk of recurrence rates for patients.
Topics: Humans; Pituitary Neoplasms; Artificial Intelligence; Adenoma; Computers
PubMed: 36275975
DOI: 10.1155/2022/6002672 -
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases Jun 2023Pituitary abscess (PA) is a rare condition and not well understood. We aimed to describe a case and perform a comprehensive systematic review to explore presenting...
BACKGROUND
Pituitary abscess (PA) is a rare condition and not well understood. We aimed to describe a case and perform a comprehensive systematic review to explore presenting symptoms, radiological findings, endocrine abnormalities and mortality.
AIM
To identify presenting symptoms, radiological findings, endocrinological abnormalities and predictors of mortality for PA.
METHODS
We systematically reviewed the literature to identify all case reports of PA. Data regarding presentation, mortality, radiological findings, endocrinological abnormalities and treatment was extracted.
RESULTS
We identified 488 patients from 218 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Mortality was 5.1%, with days to presentation (OR 1.0005, 95% CI 1.0001-1.0008, p < 0.01) being the only identified independent predictor of mortality. Mortality rates have decreased over time, with cases published prior to 2000 having higher mortality rates (OR 6.92, 95% CI 2.80-17.90, p < 0.001). The most common symptom was headache (76.2%), followed by visual field defects (47.3%). Classical signs of infection were only present in 43%. The most common imaging feature on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was high T2 and low T1 signal of the pituitary gland with peripheral contrast enhancement. Over half (54.8%) were culture negative, with the most common bacterial organism being staphylococcus aureus (7.8%) and fungal organism being aspergillus (8.8%). The most common endocrine abnormality was hypopituitarism (41.1%), followed by diabetes insipidus (24.8%). Whilst symptoms resolved in most patients, persistent endocrine abnormalities were present in over half of patients (61.0%).
CONCLUSION
PA is associated with significant mortality, with delayed presentation increasing risk of mortality. Ongoing endocrinological abnormalities are common. Given the non-specific clinical presentation, the appearance of high T2, low T1 and peripheral contrast enhancement of the pituitary on MRI should prompt consideration of this rare disease.
Topics: Humans; Abscess; Pituitary Diseases; Hypopituitarism; Pituitary Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 37365629
DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02788-1