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Dopaminergic treatment of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas

Nature Clinical Practice Endocrinology & Metabolism volume 3, pages 554–555 (2007)Cite this article

Pituitary tumors that do not cause a defined syndrome of hormone hypersecretion are classified as clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA). These tumors are generally slow growing and represent almost one-third of all pituitary adenomas. Patients usually seek medical attention after tumors have grown large enough to cause symptoms consequent of local pressure or invasion of neighboring structures. Headaches, diplopia, visual field defects, and complaints related to secondary hypopituitarism are common presenting symptoms.

Transsphenoidal surgery is the first-line treatment of NFPA, as it is currently the only effective way to rapidly relieve tumor mass effects. Unfortunately, however, surgery is seldom curative, and in most patients tumor tissue with the potential for subsequent regrowth is left in the sellar area. From this stage on, consensus about the optimum treatment for NFPA ends. The clinical management of patients with residual tumor after surgery remains a matter of active open debate, and is the focus of this Viewpoint.

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Acknowledgements

Y Greenman is grateful to N Stern for critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Institute of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Hypertension, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel greenman@tasmc.health.gov.il

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Y Greenman is a Senior Endocrinologist at the Institute of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Hypertension, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,

    Yona Greenman

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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Greenman, Y. Dopaminergic treatment of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. Nat Rev Endocrinol 3, 554–555 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpendmet0558

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