title: Resistant prolactinomas.
abstract: Prolactinomas are the most common hormonally active pituitary tumors and are usually successfully treated with dopamine agonists. A small proportion, however, appears not to respond to such treatment and such cases are termed resistant prolactinomas. Resistance is generally defined as failure to achieve normoprolactinemia and inability to induce tumor shrinkage. Reduced dopamine receptor density on lactotroph cells is currently considered the major underlying mechanism of resistance. Treatment options in resistant cases usually include substitution with another dopamine agonist, increasing the dose of the drug, as well as surgery, radiotherapy, and experimental medical therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasilev
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vroonen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zacharieva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beckers
mesh_terms: D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D052682:Lactotrophs / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine