title: Radiation therapy alone for growth hormone-producing pituitary adenomas.
abstract: We present our experience in the treatment of growth hormone (GH)-producing pituitary adenomas using irradiation alone. Between 1983 and 1991, 21 patients suffering from GH-secreting pituitary adenomas were treated with radiotherapy alone. Two bilateral opposing coaxial fields were used in 10 patients and in the remaining 11 a third frontovertex field was added. Treatment was given in 1.8-2 Gy daily fractions and total dose ranged between 45 and 54 Gy. Treatment was given using a cobalt unit. Four patients treated with somatostatin prior to and 14 patients treated after the end of radiotherapy experienced symptom relief for 6-28 weeks. The 5-year actuarial rate of disease control was 72%. Five out of six failed patients had macroadenomas. Hypopituitarism was observed in 5/21 (24%) patients. Whereas RT alone is effective in the treatment of microadenomas, this is not true for large infiltrative macroadenomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Plataniotis
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kouvaris
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlahos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papavasiliou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D013006:Growth Hormone