title: Non-functioning pituitary adenoma database: a useful resource to improve the clinical management of pituitary tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term outcome of non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) patients is not clearly established, probably due to the low annual incidence and prolonged natural history of these rare tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical data at presentation and long-term post-surgery and radiotherapy outcome in a cohort of patients with NFPA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A computerized database was developed using Access 2000 software (Microsoft Corporation, 1999). Retrospective registration of 295 NFPA patients was performed in seven Endocrinological Centers of North West Italy. Data were analyzed by STATA software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main presenting symptoms were visual defects (67.8%) and headache (41.4%) and the most frequent pituitary deficit was hypogonadism (43.3%), since almost all tumors were macroadenomas (96.5%). Surgery was the first choice treatment (98% of patients) and total debulking was achieved in 35.5%. Radiotherapy was performed as adjuvant therapy after surgery in 41% of patients. At the follow-up, recurrence occurred in 19.2% of patients without post-surgical residual tumor after 7.5 +/- 2.6 years, regrowth in 58.4% of patients with post-surgical remnant after 5.3 +/- 4.0 years and residue enlargement in 18.4% of patients post-surgically treated with radiotherapy after 8.1 +/- 7.3 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our database indicates that the goal of a definitive surgical cure has been achieved during the last decade in a low percentage of patients with NFPA. This tumor database may help to reduce the delay between symptom onset and diagnosis, to assess prognostic parameters for the follow-up of patients with different risk of recurrence and to define the efficacy and safety of different treatments and their association with mortality/morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Via F Sforza, 35, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraroni
authors.forename: Tristana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castrignanò
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menicatti
authors.forename: Mascia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anagni
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reimondo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Monte
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bernasconi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faustini-Fustini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borretta
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terzolo
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losa
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beck-Peccoz
authors.forename: Andrea G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Lania
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014794:Visual Fields