Prolactinoma

Causes of PROLACTINOMA

Prolactinoma is the most common benign tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland that secretes a hormone called prolactin. Prolactinomas are caused by too much prolactin in the blood or by pressure of the tumor on surrounding tissues. Prolactin stimulates breast milk during pregnancy. A mother’s prolactin levels fall unless she breast feeds her infant, to maintain milk production and raise prolactin levels.

Prolactinoma can be classified based on size as a Microprolactinoma (<>10mm diameter). The causes of pituitary tumors remain unknown although research continues. Pituitary tumors are not genetically passed to offspring. The most common cause of Prolactinoma is prescription drugs.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms men and women experience are headaches and loss of vision. Women may observe an unexplained milk secretion, disruption of their menstrual cycle, or infertility. Men may have impaired sexual function and in rare cases, milk secretion.

The diagnosis is usually based on visual difficulties and or excess hormone secretion. Tumors which cause visual difficulty are usually macroadenomata (>10mm). The tumors that secrete more than one hormone are mostly a combination of GH and prolactin. Stress should be ruled out before the diagnosis of prolactinomas is given. Exercise can reduce stress and prolactin levels.

Treatment

Prolactinoma are treated by drugs that will decrease the tumor size and return prolactin levels back to normal in approx. 80% of patients. The doctor will also request and MRI scan for detecting pituitary tumor size and periodically repeat MRI scans to check the tumor progression and the effects of therapy. Radiation Therapy can be used for treatment of large tumors (Macroprolactinomas). Surgery depends on the size of the tumor also as well as the experience and skill of the neurosurgeon. Surgery should only be considered if medical therapy cannot be tolerated.

Macroprolactionamas may require more aggressive treatment if they continue to grow. The growth rate is different for every individual. Microprolactinoma will not show any signs of growth after 4-6 years in 95% of the cases. Therefore, regular monitoring by a specialist is recommended.

For more information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolactinoma