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Etiology of Pituitary Tumours

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Pituitary Disease

Part of the book series: Endocrine Updates ((ENDO,volume 18))

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Abstract

Pituitary adenomas account for ≈10% of all clinical presentations with primary intracerebral tumors (1), are found incidentally in 3–27% of autopsies (2,3), and a further 10% of asymptomatic adults harbor pituitary adenomas (4), making pituitary adenomas the most common tumor in the central nervous system. This apparent vulnerability of the pituitary gland to neoplastic change is somewhat at odds with the closely regulated, highly specialized cellular phenotypes, which characterize the anterior pituitary. However, recent advancement in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in pituitary tumorigenesis suggest that the same highly specific hormones, growth factors and cytokines derived from intra-and extra-pituitary sites, but under tight hypothalamic-pituitary control, may contribute to pituicyte transformation.

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  1. Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Research Institute, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, 90048

    Anthony P. Heaney & Shlomo Melmed

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Heaney, A.P., Melmed, S. (2002). Etiology of Pituitary Tumours. In: Sheppard, M.C., Stewart, P.M. (eds) Pituitary Disease. Endocrine Updates, vol 18. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1115-1_1

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