title: Treatment of patients with a pituitary adenoma: one clinician's experience.
abstract: The diagnosis and treatment of a patient with a pituitary adenoma or another type of pituitary lesion requires a team approach involving the neurosurgeon, endocrinologist, primary care physician, and, in some patients, an ophthalmologist and radiation therapist. The diagnosis of excessive pituitary hormone secretion and/or loss of pituitary function is based on biochemical findings and can usually be confirmed by performing blood tests, except for patients with suspected Cushing syndrome. The primary treatment of pituitary adenomas is resection, except in patients with a prolactin-producing tumor, who are most successfully treated medically with a dopamine agonist. In this article the author reviews the principles of diagnosis and treatments and offers recommendations for ideal patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. MLV@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu
authors.forename: Mary Lee
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vance
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists