Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Pituitary 2019 Apr 22. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Purpose: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are associated with impaired well-being, increased comorbidities, and reduced long-term survival. Data on optimal management of NFPAs around surgical treatment are scarce, and postoperative treatment and follow-up strategies have not been evaluated in prospective trials. Here, we review the preoperative, perioperative, and early postoperative management of patients with NFPAs. Read More

J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep 2019 Jan-Dec;7:2324709619841414

2 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell-Weil School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Context: Challenging clinical scenario in which elevated β-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG, subsequently termed HCG) levels suggested occult tumor metastases after removal of bilateral testicular cancers and metastases from them and as well as after chemotherapy.

Case Report: A 22-year-old male, post excision of bilateral testicular tumors, who had no imaging or clinical evidence of residual tumor but an elevated HCG raising the question of the presence and location of occult tumor metastases. Clinical Questions. Read More

J Neurosurg 2019 Apr 19:1-10. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

OBJECTIVECraniopharyngiomas are rare and benign tumors of the sellar and/or parasellar region. Primary treatment involves resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. While the grade of resection was frequently analyzed following surgery, the neurological outcome and especially neuropsychological deficits and quality of life have been neglected for many decades. Read More

Radiologia 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Servicio de Diagnóstico por Imágenes, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Objective: To show the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging in the anatomic and pathologic characterization of the sellar region, emphasizing the differential diagnosis of uncommon non-adenomatous tumors and pseudotumors studied in our institution.

Conclusion: The sellar region is a complex anatomic space with diverse types of tissues from which a wide spectrum of diseases can arise. Magnetic resonance imaging's high tissue resolution and ability to characterize the patterns of tumor growth and biological behavior make it the best imaging technique to study this region. Read More

Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Laboratory of Experimental Endocrinology - LEEx, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Graduate Program in Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address:

Defining biomarkers for invasive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) is highly desirable. The high mobility group A (HMGA) proteins are among the most widely expressed cancer-associated proteins. Indeed, their overexpression is a frequent feature of human malignancies, including PitNETs. Read More

Neuroendocrinology 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Background: Cushing´s Disease (CD) is caused by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- secreting pituitary tumours. They express high levels of heat shock protein (HSP) 90 and heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in comparison to the normal tissue counterpart, indicating activated cellular stress.

Aims: (1) to correlate HSF1 expression with clinical features and hormonal/radiological findings of CD and (2) to investigate the effects of HSF1 inhibition as a target for CD treatment. Read More

Endocr Pract 2019 Apr;25(4):340-352

To describe outcomes of patients with giant prolactinoma (≥4 cm) and identify predictors of therapeutic response. In this retrospective study, complete biochemical and structural response were defined as prolactin (PRL) ≤25 ng/mL and no visible tumor at follow-up, respectively. Giant prolactinoma (median size, 4. Read More

Braz J Med Biol Res 2019 15;52(4):e7728. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Department of Pain Clinic, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.

Pituitary adenoma is one of the most common tumors in the neuroendocrine system. This study investigated the effects of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) highly up-regulated in liver cancer (HULC) on rat secreting pituitary adenoma GH3 cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and hormone secretion, as well as the underlying potential mechanisms. Cell transfection and qRT-PCR were used to change and measure the expression levels of HULC, miR-130b, and FOXM1. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health, University of Southern Denmark (SDU).

Context: The clinical phenotype of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 4 (MEN4) is undefined due to a limited number of published cases. Knowledge on disease manifestation in MEN4 is essential for developing prevention programs and treatment.

Objective: To expand current knowledge of the MEN4 phenotype including assessment of penetrance. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 May 8;17(5):3775-3780. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266000, P.R. China.

Pituitary tumors account for 10% of intracranial cancer, and are difficult to treat with chemotherapy. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of matrine on the proliferation of pituitary cancer cells, as well as the molecular mechanism of matrine in progression and development of pituitary tumors. Matrine significantly suppressed the proliferation of pituitary cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Read More

Anticancer Drugs 2019 Jun;30(5):533-536

Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medicine (DMID).

Dopamine agonists (DAs, especially cabergoline) are recommended as first-line treatment in patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas, to reduce hormone secretion and tumor size. Pituitary surgery, suggested in nonresponsive patients, cannot achieve a gross total resection or is not feasible in some cases. Temozolomide (TMZ) has been proposed in patients with aggressive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) who do not respond to conventional treatments. Read More

AACE Clin Case Rep 2018 Nov-Dec;4(6):e487-e492

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.

Objective: Central diabetes insipidus can occur in the setting of primary or metastatic tumors that disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Usual treatment consists of water intake to replace ongoing fluid losses and desmopressin administration aimed at decreasing the urine output to enable maintenance of eunatremia without polyuria. Marked derangement in plasma sodium concentration can occur when high-volume intravenous fluid administration is required during chemotherapy to prevent nephrotoxicity, particularly if obligate fluid intake exceeds the total daily fluid intake necessary to maintain eunatremia. Read More

J Neurosurg 2019 Apr 12:1-8. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Departments of1Neurosurgery.

OBJECTIVEGamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) provides a safe and effective management option for patients with all types of pituitary adenomas. The long-term adverse effects of targeted radiation to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in relationship to radiation dose remain unclear. In this retrospective review, the authors investigated the role of differential radiation doses in predicting long-term clinical outcomes and pituitary function after GKRS for pituitary adenomas. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine & University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.

Context: Diagnosis of subclinical adrenal hypercortisolism is based on several tests of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to establish mild alterations of cortisol secretion and dysregulated cortisol physiology.

Objective: This study assessed whether plasma steroid profiles might assist diagnosis of subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SC).

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Read More

EBioMedicine 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Neoplasia & Endocrine Differentiation P0L5, Centro de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas (CIMUS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Electronic address:

Background: Acromegaly is produced by excess growth hormone secreted by a pituitary adenoma of somatotroph cells (ACRO). First-line therapy, surgery and adjuvant therapy with somatostatin analogs, fails in 25% of patients. There is no predictive factor of resistance to therapy. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

School of Medcine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. Electronic address:

Background: The impact of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) on tumor control in endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) has not yet been completely characterized. This study assessed the impact of iMRI on gross total resection (GTR) rates and progression-free survival (PFS) at a mean follow-up of 62±9.4 months. Read More

Nucl Med Commun 2019 May;40(5):539-544

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

Objective: This study aimed to present a proper understanding of the fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) value in localizing the primary lesion in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing syndrome in a relatively large case cohort.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study included 47 patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing syndrome, who underwent an F-FDG PET/CT examination in our hospital from November 2010 to January 2018. The serum cortisol, 24 h urine cortisol, serum ACTH, and high-dose dexamethasone suppression test were measured in all the patients. Read More

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2019 Apr 11:1-10. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

e Department of Neurosurgery , Weifang People's Hospital , Weifang , P. R. China.

Pituitary adenomas (PA) are commonly occurring benign neoplasms. Identification of molecular pathway resulting in pituitary tumorigenesis remains challenges in endocrine oncology. The present study was conducted with aim of investigating the role of microRNA-543 (miR-543) in PA development. Read More

Eur J Endocrinol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

O Ragnarsson, Department of Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, 41345, Sweden.

Treatment of Cushing's disease (CD) is one of the most challenging tasks in endocrinology. The first-line treatment, transsphenoidal pituitary surgery, is associated with a high failure rate and a high prevalence of recurrence. Re-operation is associated with an even higher rate of a failure and recurrence. Read More

Pharmazie 2019 Mar;74(3):154-156

MicroRNAs (miRs) are crucial regulators for tumorigenesis through negatively regulating their target genes expression in the manner of 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) binding. MiR-205-5p has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor in several cancer types. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-205-5p/chromobox homolog 1 (CBX1) axis in human pituitary tumors. Read More

Endocr Relat Cancer 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

G Chrousos, Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - Faculty of Medicine, Athens, Greece.

Circadian rhythms in central and peripheral level are operated by transcriptional/translational feedback loops involving a set of genes called 'clock genes' that are implicated in the development of several diseases including malignancies. Dysregulation of Clock system can affect cancer susceptibility by regulating DNA damage and repair mechanisms as well as apoptosis. A number of oncogenic pathways can be dysregulated via clock genes' epigenetic alterations including hypermethylation of clock genes' promoters or variants of clock genes. Read More

Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina,, Chapel Hill, NC.

Background: Endoscopic skull-base surgery (ESBS) is a rapidly growing discipline that often combines the expertise of otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons and neurosurgeons to provide care for these challenging conditions. As the field has grown, so too has the literature evaluating this surgical approach and the challenges and complications associated with these interventions. An international, multidisciplinary effort to critically evaluate and grade the current literature on ESBS has resulted in the International Consensus Statement on Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery (ICAR:SB). Read More

Cureus 2019 Jan 25;11(1):e3957. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA.

Background: There exists a lack of data on the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on outcomes for pituitary tumors, which have been associated with significant morbidity. The goal of this population-level study is to investigate the role of SES on receiving treatment and survival in patients with pituitary tumors.

Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program database from the National Cancer Institute was used to identify patients diagnosed with pituitary tumors between 2003 and 2012. Read More

Gulf J Oncolog 2019 Jan;1(29):87-90

Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Esophageal carcinoma metastasis to the brain is very rare with less than 300 cases published worldwide. The reported incidence rates of esophageal carcinoma metastases to the brain range from 0.3% to 13%. Read More

Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Pituitary Center Rotterdam, Endocrinology Section, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GD, Netherlands.

J Neurosurg 2019 04 5:1-9. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Objective: The authors conducted a pilot study on hybrid fluorescein-guided surgery for pituitary adenoma resection and herein describe the feasibility and safety of this technique.

Methods: In this pilot study, the authors included all consecutive patients presenting with pituitary adenomas, functioning and nonfunctioning. They performed a hybrid fluorescein-guided surgical technique for tumor resection. Read More

J Surg Case Rep 2019 Mar 29;2019(3):rjz070. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Campbell University, School of Osteopathic Medicine, Novant Health Presbyterian, Internal Medicine, Charlotte, NC, USA.

Pituitary adenomas are commonly benign neoplasms which may manifest with a wide variety of symptomatology. Typically, ACTH- producing tumors of the pituitary gland present with central fat deposition, abdominal striae, moon facies, buffalo hump, osteoporosis, hypertension, hirsutism, gonadal dysfunction, immunosuppression, and less commonly with hyperglycemia due to insulin resistance. We report the case of a 58-year-old male patient with an ACTH producing pituitary microadenoma and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) whose primary presenting symptom was increasing insulin resistance despite appropriate adjustments to his insulin therapy. Read More

Brain Res Bull 2019 Apr 1;149:21-31. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Neurosurgery and Pituitary Tumor Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address:

Prolactinoma is a common subtype of pituitary tumors. Dopamine receptor agonists are the preferred treatment for prolactinoma; however, with this therapy, drug resistance often occurs. In our previous work, we found that partial resistant prolactinomas showed increased fibrosis and that the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway mediated fibrosis and was involved in drug resistance. Read More

Neurochem Res 2019 Apr 3. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Momentum Hereditary Endocrine Tumours Research Group, Semmelweis University, 46 Szentkiralyi Street, Budapest, 1088, Hungary.

Spindle cell oncocytomas (SCO) of the pituitary are rare tumors accounting for 0.1-0.4% of all sellar tumors. Read More

Oncol Lett 2019 May 28;17(5):4237-4244. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Shanghai 200000, P.R. China.

The value of pharmacokinetic parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in distinguishing pituitary microadenoma subtypes was investigated in the present study. Pathology and follow-up outcomes were applied as the gold standard for differentiating between 76 patients with pituitary microadenomas (38 prolactin-producing tumors, 17 adrenocorticotropic hormone adenomas and 21 growth hormone-producing tumors) and 20 patients with normal pituitary glands. DCE-MRI was conducted to obtain the following quantitative permeability parameters: Volume transfer constant (K), rate constant (K) and extracellular extravascular volume fraction (V). Read More

Endocr Connect 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

S Cannavo, Endocrine Unit of University Hospital "AOU Policlinico G. Martino", PhD School of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Universita degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy.

In aggressive pituitary tumours (PT) showing local invasion or growth/recurrence despite multimodal conventional treatment, temozolomide (TMZ) is considered a further therapeutic option, while little data is available on peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). We analysed PRRT effectiveness, safety and long-term outcome in three patients with aggressive PT, also reviewing the current literature. Patient #1 (F, giant prolactinoma) received 5 cycles (total dose 37 GBq) of 111In-DTPA-octreotide over 23 months, after unsuccessful surgery and long-term dopamine-agonist treatment. Read More

Asian J Neurosurg 2019 Jan-Mar;14(1):307-309

Department of Neurosurgery, Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune, Maharashtra, India.

Pituitary tumors are relatively common tumors accounting for almost 15% of all primary brain tumors. Pituitary macroadenomas cause mass effect on the optic apparatus causing a myriad of visual deficits. On imaging generally the anterior visual pathway is involved which may be compressed by the mass lesion. Read More

Magn Reson Imaging 2019 Mar 27;60:38-43. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Background and purpose To demonstrate the clinical feasibility of a novel MRI pulse sequence, Golden-angle radial sparse parallel MRI (GRASP) through comparison to the current imaging technique, dynamic T1- weighted contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging in terms of image quality and lesion depiction in the detection of microlesions (microadenomas and cysts) of the pituitary gland.

Materials And Methods: 16 patients (11 microadenomas, 5 cysts) underwent two MRI examinations (Siemens 1.5T and 3T) on separate dates, one using standard DCE (temporal resolution 30 s) and the other using GRASP (temporal resolution of 4. Read More

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, California.

Background: Pediatric intracavernous sinus tumors are exceedingly rare and thus poorly characterized. Their neurosurgical management is challenging and diagnostic, and management guidelines are limited.

Objective: To report our institutional experience with the surgical resection of pediatric intracavernous sinus tumors. Read More

Front Surg 2019 12;6:11. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Department of Neurosurgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

The primary treatment for brain tumors often involves surgical resection for diagnosis, relief of mass effect, and prolonged survival. In neurosurgery, it is of utmost importance to achieve maximal safe resection while minimizing iatrogenic neurologic deficit. Thus, neurosurgeons often rely on extra tools in the operating room, such as neuronavigation, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, and/or intraoperative rapid pathology. Read More

Lab Invest 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

B7H3 (CD276), a co-stimulator molecule of the cell surface B7 protein superfamily, is expressed on glioblastomas (GBM). Recently, B7H3 functions beyond immune costimulation have been demonstrated. However, the mechanisms underlying B7H3 function are diverse and not well understood. Read More

Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2019 Mar 22:1-14. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

a Marseille Medical Genetics, Inserm U1251, Hôpital de la Conception, Service d'Endocrinologie , Aix Marseille Univ, APHM , Marseille , France.

Introduction: Prolactinomas represent the most common pituitary adenomas encountered in the clinic. While a majority of these tumors will be successfully treated by dopamine agonist (DA) such as cabergoline, their management becomes problematic since a resistance to DA can occur and/or if the tumor displays features of aggressiveness, two conditions that are closely related. Areas covered: Epidemiology and medical treatment of prolactinomas; resistance to DA and molecular basis of DA-resistance; therapeutical alternatives in case of DA-resistant Prolactinomas and therapies in development; summarizing conclusions. Read More

Elife 2019 Mar 26;8. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

SOX2 positive pituitary stem cells (PSCs) are specified embryonically and persist throughout life, giving rise to all pituitary endocrine lineages. We have previously shown the activation of the STK/LATS/YAP/TAZ signalling cascade in the developing and postnatal mammalian pituitary. Here, we investigate the function of this pathway during pituitary development and in the regulation of the SOX2 cell compartment. Read More

Pathol Oncol Res 2019 Mar 25. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Neurosurgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, No. 519, Kunzhou Road, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650118, People's Republic of China.

Gonadotroph pituitary adenomas (GPAs) constitute approximately 15-40% of pituitary tumors. Some GPAs can be highly infiltrative, making full surgical resection challenging and increasing the risk of recurrence. The transcriptional co-activator Mastermind-Like Domain Containing 1 (MAMLD1, CXorf6, F18) is involved in regulating signaling pathways important in pituitary tumorigenesis, including the Notch signaling pathway. Read More

Endocrine 2019 Mar 22. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation Medicine and Physical Therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Purpose: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) have a substantial impact on patients' health status, yet research on the extent of healthcare utilization and costs among these patients is scarce. The objective was to determine healthcare usage, associated costs, and their determinants among patients treated for an NFPA.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 167 patients treated for an NFPA completed four validated questionnaires. Read More

Endocr Pathol 2019 Mar 22. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Neurosurgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.

Although most pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) show benign behavior, a significant number of PitNETs exhibit an aggressive course including cavernous sinus (CS) invasion. To date, the cause of CS invasion has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between CS invasion in PitNETs and the expression of PITX2 and SNAIL1, which are the transcription factors associated with the morphogenesis of pituitary gland. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Mar 19. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Objective: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is the reference standard for radiotherapy for pituitary adenomas but has been limited to lesions with sufficient distance (i.e., >3 mm) from the optic apparatus. Read More

J Neurosurg 2019 03 22:1-11. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

OBJECTIVE: Many surgeons have adopted fully endoscopic over microscopic transsphenoidal surgery for nonfunctioning pituitary tumors, although no high-quality evidence demonstrates superior patient outcomes with endoscopic surgery. The goal of this analysis was to compare these techniques in a prospective multicenter controlled study. METHODS: Extent of tumor resection was compared after endoscopic or microscopic transsphenoidal surgery in adults with nonfunctioning adenomas. Read More

Nat Rev Dis Primers 2019 Mar 21;5(1):20. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.

Acromegaly is characterized by increased release of growth hormone and, consequently, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF1), most often by a pituitary adenoma. Prolonged exposure to excess hormone leads to progressive somatic disfigurement and a wide range of systemic manifestations that are associated with increased mortality. Although considered a rare disease, recent studies have reported an increased incidence of acromegaly owing to better disease awareness, improved diagnostic tools and perhaps a real increase in prevalence. Read More

Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2019 Mar 21;2019. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Oxford Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK.

A 21 year-old woman was found to have a pituitary macroadenoma following an episode of haemophilus meningitis. Biochemical TSH and GH excess was noted, although with no clear clinical correlates. She was treated with a somatostatin analogue (SSA), which restored the euthyroid state and controlled GH hypersecretion, but she re-presented with a further episode of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and recurrent meningitis. Read More

Pituitary 2019 Mar 20. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.

Purpose: Ectopic pituitary adenomas (EPA) are rare tumors thought to arise from embryological remnants along the route of normal pituitary migration. Clinically, these tumors vary in hormonal activity and can exert mass effect based on location and size.

Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective analysis of patients with diagnosis of ectopic pituitary adenoma from 2001 to 2018. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019 Mar 20. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Endocrinology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Objective: To investigate the contemporary presentation of pituitary metastases.

Patients: Thirty-eight patients diagnosed with pituitary metastases 1996 to 2018 in Sweden.

Methods: Pituitary metastases were confirmed by histopathology (n = 27) or considered highly likely due to radiological findings, including rapid tumor progression (n = 11). Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019 Mar 20. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Objective: The etiologic diagnosis of pituitary stalk thickening (PST) remains a major challenge because biopsies of the pituitary stalk are difficult to obtain. This study summarized the etiologies of PST and the natural course of indistinguishable PST.

Methods: Patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed PST at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2014 to May 2017 were reviewed. Read More

Pediatr Endocrinol Rev 2019 Mar;16(3):311-334

Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States.

Many hereditary and sporadic tumor and other syndromes are associated with endocrine functional and or structural abnormalities. The last few decades have yielded advancements in the field with improvements in diagnostic testing, screening guidelines and novel treatment options. In general, endocrine functional abnormalities and neoplasms share an early age of onset. Read More