title: Hormonal evidence for the dissemination through the cerebrospinal fluid, of secreting cells from invasive pituitary adenomas.
abstract: In 13 patients with invasive pituitary adenomas submitted to pituitary surgery (5 HGH-secreting adenomas, 6 prolactin-secreting adenomas, 2 non-secreting adenomas), the concentrations of HGH and prolactin (PRL) constantly decreased after operation both in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum, and the CSF/serum ratio remained under one, with few exceptions. These last cases (2 with acromegaly, 2 with invasive prolactinomas), showed an increase of HGH or PRL concentrations in CSF when serum levels decreased; the CSF/serum ratio rose above one within 2 weeks post surgery in 2 patients, and within 2 years post surgery in another two. The circulation of CSF was not obstructed. This indicated the appearance of a new, extrapituitary source for secreting HGH or PRL directly into the CSF, a source which most probably developed through the dissemination, via CSF, of secreting cells from malignant pituitary adenomas.
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000209:etiology; D000238:Adenoma, Chromophobe / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone