US EPA

1977288 

Journal Article 

Clinicopathologic study of 123 cases of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas with special reference to multihormone production and clonality of the adenomas 

Ma, WB; Ikeda, H; Yoshimoto, T 

2002 

Yes 

Cancer
ISSN: 0008-543X
EISSN: 1097-0142 

95 

2 

258-266 

English 

12124824 

10.1002/cncr.10676 

WOS:000176928100009 

http://://WOS:000176928100009
Exit
 

BACKGROUND. Prolactinoma is the most invasive type of pituitary adenoma and is generally believed to be well-differentiated adenoma and to produce only prolactin (PRL). The factors related to the various biologic behaviors occurring in patients of different ages and sexes await clarification. Since different immunophenotypes of adenoma may show different biologic behaviors and responses to medical agents, the authors examined hormone production and tried to clarify the clonality of plurihormonal prolactinoma. METHODS. Clinicopathologic factors were studied in 123 patients with prolactinomas (40 males and 83 females). The specimens were fixed in either 10% neutral buffered formalin or 70% alcohol and used for light microscopy. Alcohol-fixed tissue was used to extract DNA from 26 samples obtained from female patients for human androgen receptor gene (HUMARA) assay. RESULTS. Sixty one cases (50%) were pure prolactinoma and 62 cases (50%) were plurihormonal prolactinoma. Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between age and serum PRL level (P = 0.0002), age and tumor volume (P < 0.0001), and tumor volume and serum PRL level (P < 0.0001). Multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation only between tumor volume and serum PRL level. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed that prolactinomas associated with higher PRL levels, larger adenomas, and higher ages were significantly more invasive to the cavernous sinus and that male patients had significantly higher PRL levels and larger adenomas. The HUMARA assay disclosed that 11 of 13 plurihormonal prolactinomas (85%) were compatible with monoclonal origin. CONCLUSIONS. The current results suggest that not only can various hormones other than PRL be secreted by prolactinoma, but also that most multihormone-producing prolactinomas are monoclonal in origin. (C) 2002 American Cancer Society. 

prolactinoma; Ki-67; human androgen receptor gene method; clonality; plurihormonal adenoma