Efficacy and complications of pituitary irradiation.
Radiation therapy is widely used in the management of intracranial (including sellar and parasellar) and systemic disorders. Although in many cases the irradiation aims to prevent the growth or regrowth and to control the hormonal hypersecretion of a pituitary tumor, in many others it adversely affects the hypothalamo-pituitary function simply because this area receives significant doses of radiation delivered for non-hypothalamo-pituitary disorders. The main long-term complications include hypopituitarism, optic neuropathy, cerebrovascular morbidity, and second brain tumors. Radiation technique and schedule are important determinants of these adverse effects.
Department of Endocrinology, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK.
Georgia
G
Ntali
Department of Endocrinology, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK. Electronic address: niki.karavitaki@ouh.nhs.uk.
Niki
N
Karavitaki
D006801:Humans; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010910:Pituitary Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Hypopituitarism; Pituitary radiotherapy; Pituitary tumor