Prolactinoma overview: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 22: Line 22:


==History and Symptoms==
==History and Symptoms==
The symptoms experienced by women and men are as for [[hyperprolactinaemia]] from all causes.
==Physical Examination==
==Physical Examination==
==Laboratory Findings==
==Laboratory Findings==

Revision as of 14:45, 3 September 2015

Prolactinoma Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating Prolactinoma from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Screening

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

ECG

X-ray

Ultrasound

CT

MRI

Other Imaging Findings

Other Diagnostic Studies

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Surgery

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Case #1

Prolactinoma overview On the Web

Most recent articles

Most cited articles

Review articles

CME Programs

Powerpoint slides

Images

American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Prolactinoma overview

All Images
X-rays
Echo & Ultrasound
CT Images
MRI

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse

NICE Guidance

FDA on Prolactinoma overview

CDC on Prolactinoma overview

Prolactinoma overview in the news

Blogs on Prolactinoma overview

Directions to Hospitals Treating Prolactinoma

Risk calculators and risk factors for Prolactinoma overview

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

A prolactinoma is a benign tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland that produces a hormone called prolactin. It is the most common type of pituitary tumor. Symptoms of prolactinoma are caused by too much prolactin in the blood (hyperprolactinemia) or by pressure of the tumor on surrounding tissues. Prolactin stimulates the breast to produce milk during pregnancy. After delivery of the baby, a mother's prolactin levels fall unless she breast feeds her infant. Each time the baby nurses, prolactin levels rise to maintain milk production.

Classification

Based on size, a prolactinoma can be classified as a microprolactinoma (<10 mm diameter) or macroprolactinoma (>10 mm diameter).

Prolactinoma and Pregnancy

Women with prolactin-secreting tumors may experience further pituitary enlargement and must be closely monitored during pregnancy. However, damage to the pituitary or eye nerves occurs in less than one percent of pregnant women with prolactinoma. In women with large tumors, the risk of damage to the pituitary or eye nerves is greater, and some doctors consider it as high as 25%.

Causes

It has been shown that stress can significantly raise prolactin levels which should make stress a diagnostic differential though it usually is not considered such. Most pituitary tumors are sporadic--they are not genetically passed from parents to offspring.

Epidemiology and Demographics

Autopsy studies indicate that 6-25% of the U. S. population have small pituitary tumors. Forty percent of these pituitary tumors produce prolactin, but most are not considered clinically significant. Clinically significant pituitary tumors affect the health of approximately 14 out of 100,000 people in United States.

Differentiating prolactinoma from other diseases

Hyperprolactinemia caused by prolactinoma must be differentiated from medications(antipsychotics and antidepressants) and hypothyroidism.

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Hyperprolactinemia can cause reduced estrogen production in women and reduced testosterone production in men.People with microprolactinoma generally have an excellent prognosis. In 95% of cases the tumor will not show any signs of growth after a 4 to 6 year period. Macroprolactinomas often require more aggressive treatment otherwise they may continue to grow. There is no way to reliably predict the rate of growth, as it is different for every individual. Regular monitoring by a specialist to detect any major changes in the tumor is recommended.

History and Symptoms

The symptoms experienced by women and men are as for hyperprolactinaemia from all causes.

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

CT Scan

MRI

Medical Therapy

Surgery

References


Template:WikiDoc Sources