AccessMyLibrary provides FREE access to over 30 million articles from top publications available through your library.
Create a link to this page
Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:
Pituitary Tumors In 20% of Adults.
SAN ANTONIO -- One in five adults has a pituitary tumor, according to a metaanalysis of nine carefully designed autopsy and radiographic studies.
"About one-third of these [tumors] may result in pituitary excess syndromes," with symptoms including irregular menses, sexual dysfunction, infertility, changes in physical appearance, headaches, visual field disturbances, and unexplained mood changes, said Dr. Keith E. Friend, the principal investigator in the study.
The analysis also suggests that macroadenomas, defined as pituitary tumors greater than 10 mm in diameter, are present m approximately 1 in 500-600 adults over the age of 65. That figure is at least 10 times greater than the number of patients diagnosed with these large tumors, which commonly invade brain structures surrounding the pituitary gland.
"Perhaps we are all missing these patients," said Dr. Friend, who presented his findings at a satellite seminar held at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. He conducted the research while at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; he is now medical director of U.S. adult endocrine care at Pharmacia Corp. in Peapack, N.J.
Dr. Friend asked researchers from the University of Toronto; New York University, New York; and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to individually review published prevalence studies on pituitary tumors.
Published estimates range from 10%, based on an epidemiologic study, to less than 1% and more than 30%, based on radiologic studies of adults who underwent imaging for reasons other than symptoms of pituitary tumors. In autopsy studies done on patients who died of causes unrelated to pituitary tumors, the tumors have been found in as few as 1.4% and as many as 27% of adults.
For many reasons, pituitary tumor prevalence is difficult to study, Dr. Friend said. Pituitary tumors tend to be small, and they manifest a puzzling array of symptoms, many of them subtle. These tumors are difficult to image, and biochemical diagnoses are "not always straightforward," he said.
- About 20% of Adults Have Pituitary Tumors.(Brief Article)
- Magazine article from: Family Practice News BATES, BETSY July 1, 2001 700+ words
...macroadenomas, defined as pituitary tumors greater than 10 mm...of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston...of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to individually...prevalence studies on pituitary tumors. Published estimates...
- Pituitary Tumors
- Encyclopedia entry from: Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 3rd ed. Haggerty, Maureen January 1, 2006 700+ words
Pituitary Tumors Definition Pituitary tumors are abnormal growths on the pituitary gland. Some tumors...the body. About 10% of all cancers in the skull are pituitary tumors. Pituitary adenomas (adenomas are tumors that grow from...
- Risperidone use linked to pituitary tumors.(drug therapy)
- Magazine article from: Clinical Psychiatry News Zoler, Mitchel L. January 1, 2006 700+ words
...unusually high number of reports of pituitary tumors in an analysis done by the Food and...risperidone (Risperdal) developed pituitary tumors is currently considered too preliminary...indications of hyperprolactinemia or pituitary tumors in patients treated with these drugs...
- Doctors urged not to overlook pituitary tumors. (Not as Rare as Once Thought).
- Magazine article from: OB GYN News Goldman, Erik L. April 1, 2003 700+ words
...YORK -- Consider the possibility of pituitary tumors in the differential diagnosis of any...fact that most physicians consider pituitary tumors to be rare disorders, and therefore...truer picture of the prevalence of pituitary tumors. Data from seven autopsy studies...
- Pituitary tumors with D-2 receptor activity respond to cabergoline therapy.
- Newspaper article from: Biotech Week June 16, 2004 700+ words
...NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pituitary tumors with D-2 receptor activity respond...vivo in clinically nonfunctioning pituitary tumors. Eighteen patients were subjected...schedule of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary tumors," investigators stated. Pivonello...
- Dopamine[subscript]2 receptor expressed in 80% of corticotroph pituitary tumors.
- Newspaper article from: Hematology Week July 12, 2004 700+ words
...approximately 80% of corticotroph pituitary tumors. According to a study from Italy...agonist treatment in corticotroph pituitary tumors is controversial. The aim of this...receptor expression in 20 corticotroph pituitary tumors and to correlate it to the in vitro...
- Surgeon uses new method to remove pituitary tumors.
- Newspaper article from: Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week February 23, 2003 700+ words
...amp; NewsRx.net) -- Removing pituitary tumors through the nasal cavity rather than...direct endonasal approach to removing pituitary tumors offers a more direct surgical route...Institute's division of endocrinology. Pituitary tumors account for approximately 15% of...
- Researchers identify molecular targets in pituitary tumors.
- Newspaper article from: Cancer Weekly June 1, 2004 700+ words
...Receptor ligands for treating pituitary tumors are safe and effective, researchers...a study from the United States, "Pituitary tumors are associated with unrestrained secretion...ligands that can be used to treat pituitary tumors and associated hormonal excess...
Source: HighBeam Research, Pituitary Tumors In 20% of Adults.