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How should a nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma be monitored after debulking surgery?
Author(s) -
Greenman Yona,
Stern Naftali
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03542.x
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , debulking , medicine , transsphenoidal surgery , magnetic resonance imaging , pituitary gland , pituitary adenoma , pituitary tumors , pituitary neoplasm , surgery , adenoma , radiology , cancer , hormone , ovarian cancer
Summary Transsphenoidal surgery is the treatment of choice for nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas but is seldom curative. Tumour progression rates are high in patients with postoperative remnants. Therefore, long‐term monitoring is necessary to detect tumour growth, which may be asymptomatic or manifest with visual field defects and/or pituitary dysfunction. In view of the generally slow‐growing nature of these tumours, yearly magnetic resonance imaging, neuro‐ophalmologic and pituitary function evaluation are appropriate during the first 3–5 years after surgery. If there is no evidence for tumour progression during this period, testing intervals may be extended thereafter.