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Pituitary
Published in: Pituitary 6/2017

01-12-2017

Double pituitary adenomas are most commonly associated with GH- and ACTH-secreting tumors: systematic review of the literature

Authors: Elizabeth Ogando-Rivas, Andrew F. Alalade, Jerome Boatey, Theodore H. Schwartz

Published in: Pituitary | Issue 6/2017

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Abstract

Introduction

Double adenomas in the pituitary gland are a rare occurrence. The ability to cure a hormone-producing adenoma with surgery is dependent on the ability to identify and completely remove the correct adenoma. The relative frequency of each subtype of hormone-secreting adenomas confirmed with magnetic resonance image (MRI), surgery and immunohistochemistry is not defined.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic review of PubMed Central, Google Scholar, Scopus Database, Cochrane database and Science Research, using the key-words: “double pituitary adenomas”, “multiple pituitary adenomas” and only papers where multiple or truly separate double pituitary adenomas were identified pre-surgically by MRI and/or confirmed by pathology/immunohistochemistry staining were included.

Results

We reviewed papers from 1975 to 2016 and found 17 cases with two pituitary adenomas and 1 with three pituitary adenomas. The ages ranged from 22 to 67 years old, and there were twelve females and five males. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the most common double pituitary adenomas were growth hormone (GH)- followed by adrenocorticotropic (ACTH)-secreting.

Conclusion

Double pituitary adenomas are rare but most commonly found with GH- or ACTH-producing tumors. It is critical to remove all identified possible adenomas to achieve biochemical cure and clinicians should have heightened sensitivity in patients with acromegaly or Cushing’s Disease.
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Metadata
Title
Double pituitary adenomas are most commonly associated with GH- and ACTH-secreting tumors: systematic review of the literature
Authors
Elizabeth Ogando-Rivas
Andrew F. Alalade
Jerome Boatey
Theodore H. Schwartz
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Pituitary / Issue 6/2017
Print ISSN: 1386-341X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7403
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-017-0826-6

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