title: The epidemiology of prolactinomas.
abstract: Prolactin-secreting tumors (prolactinomas), the most frequently occurring pituitary tumor, have a frequency that varies with age and sex. They occur most frequently in females aged 20 to 50 years old, at which time the female-to-male ratio is approximately 10:1. In the pediatric-adolescent age group, prolactinomas have a prevalence of 100/million population, and account for less than 2% of all intracranial tumors. Prolactinomas occur in approximately 30% of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and in this setting, they may be more aggressive than their sporadic counterparts. Patients with Carney complex or McCune-Albright syndrome may exhibit hyperprolactinemia due to a pituitary tumor derived from somatomammotropic cells that secrete both growth hormone and prolactin. Few familial cases of prolactinoma unrelated to MEN-1 are reported in literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, C.H.U. de Liège, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciccarelli
authors.forename: Adrian F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beckers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005359:Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018761:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D015995:Prevalence; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors