Title:From Pituitary Adenoma to Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors: How Molecular Pathways may Impact the Therapeutic Management?
Volume: 21
Issue: 10
Author(s): Sabrina Chiloiro and Laura De Marinis*
Affiliation:
- UOS di Patologia Ipotalamo-Ipofisaria, Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome,Italy
Keywords:
Hyperprolactinemia, prolactinoma, acromegaly, cushing, hypercortisolism, gonadotropinoma, somatostatin receptor,
somatostatin analogues.
Abstract: The classification of adeno-pituitary tumor was deeply revised over the last 20 years, in
order to better describe the variable and complex biological and clinical behavior of these neoplasia
and to identify prognostic markers of aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Recently, the International
Pituitary Pathology Club proposed to replace the term “pituitary adenoma” with “pituitary
neuroendocrine tumour” (PitNET), to reflect similarities of adeno-pituitary tumours with neuroendocrine
neoplasia of other organs, underling better the variable behaviour of adeno-pituitary neoplasia.
A definitive consensus was not reached on this issue. In this review, we will describe how
molecular and biological marker can predict aggressiveness of PitNETs and impact on therapeutic
management of PitNETs.
