Clinical-morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of adenomas of the anterior pituitary lobe

Abstract

Introduction Clinical and morphological characterization of pituitary adenomas remains a topical problem of great importance in view of lesions in persons of working age.Purpose of work was to identify clinically relevant morphological and immunohistochemical features of pituitary adenomas.Material and Methods Sixty-two adenomas were studied: 25 in men and 37 in women. Pituitary adenoma was most frequently diagnosed between 51 and 70 years of age. Adenomas were mostly of small and medium size with predominance of supra- and laterosellar location. There were 41 hormone-positive adenomas and 21 “dumb” neoplasms without signs of trophic hormone synthesis. Gonadotropinomas and corticotropinomas prevailed among hormone-positive adenomas. Ki67 index in our material did not exceed 1−2%, which is a favorable prognostic factor for low recurrence of adenomas.Results 62 adenomas were studied, 25 in men and 37 in women. Vast majority of adenomas were diagnosed at the age of 51 to 70 years. Adenomas mainly had small and medium size, with a predominance of supra- and laterosellar localization. Out of 62 adenomas 41 were hormone-positive, and 21 were “silent” neoplasms without signs of synthesis of trophic hormones. Among hormone-positive adenomas, most were gonadotropinomas and corticotropinomas. The Ki67 index in our material did not exceed 1-2%, which is a favorable prognostic factor for low recurrence of adenomas.Discussion In contrast to previously published works, gonadotropinomas and corticotropinomas prevailed in our material. The most diagnostically important markers were identified and applied for routine morphological verification of pituitary adenomas.Conclusion The predominance of hormone-positive adenomas of small size was a peculiarity of the work. At the same time, hormone-positive tumors had no clinical manifestations for quite a long time and were latent. Low proliferativity of the studied adenomas was a favorable prognostic sign.