[Nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas: diagnosis, treatment and follow-up].
*Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas are benign tumours characterised by the absence of hormone overproduction. *Clinical symptoms are caused by the mass effects of the tumour. The main symptoms are pituitary insufficiency, visual field defects, vision impairment and headache. *Treatment is unnecessary for tumours less than 1 cm, and an expectative approach can be used for some patients with larger tumours but no visual field defects. *Transsphenoidal surgery is indicated for patients with visual field defects. *Because nonfunctioning adenomas can recur, lifelong follow-up after treatment is necessary. *Poor quality of life has been reported in treated patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas, which may be due to the intrinsic imperfections of hormonal replacement therapy.
Dekkers
O M
OM
Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, afd. Endocrinologie, Leiden. o.m.dekkers@lumc.nl
Neelis
K J
KJ
de Keizer
R J W
RJ
Voormolen
J H C
JH
Pereira
A M
AM
Romijn
J A
JA
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life