Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment of pituitary tumors

History

  • Published:
Endocrine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Over the past century our understanding of the pituitary disease has undergone an amazing evolution, accompanied by impressive advances in the therapeutic approaches to pituitary tumors. This historical review aims to provide insights into the contributions of key medical and scientific pioneers, their occasionally serendipitous discoveries, and the lively global debates, which have ultimately improved the therapeutic targets and the long-term outcome of these patients. The development of the three main modalities is discussed (surgery, irradiation, pharmacotherapy). More recent experimental data, which may provide a path to a stronger therapeutic armamentarium for these undoubtedly challenging tumors, are also briefly reported.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Marie, P. (1886). Rev. Med. 6, 297–333.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Jane, J. A. and Laws, E. R. (2001). In: Handbook of acromegaly. Wass, J. A. (eds.). Bioscientifica Ltd: Surrey, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Horsley, V. (1906). BMJ 2, 411–423.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Caton, R. and Paul, F. T. (1893). BMJ 2, 1421–1423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Pollock, J., Akinwunmi, J., Scaravilli, F., and Powell, M. (2003). Neurosurgery 52, 914–926.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kiliani, O. (1904). Ann. Surg. 40, 35–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu, J., Das, K., Weiss, M. H., Laws, E. R., and Couldwell, W. T. (2001). J. Neurosurg. 95, 1083–1096.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Welbourn, R. (1986). Surgery 100, 1185–1189.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Landolt, A. (1999). Pituitary 2, 103–112.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cushing, H. (1914). JAMA 63, 1515–1525.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cushing, H. (1909). Ann. Surg. 50, 1002–1017.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rosegay, H. (1981). J. Neurosurg. 54, 448–454.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lanzino, G. and Laws, E. (2001). J. Neurosurg. 95, 1097–1103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Horowitz, N. (1999). Neurosurgery 45, 944–948.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hardy, J. (1969). Clin. Neurosurg. 16, 186–217.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fahlbusch, R. (1999). Pituitary 2, 113–115.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Jho, H-D. (1999). Pituitary 2, 139–154.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Emmanuel, I. G. (1966). Clin. Radiol. 17, 154–160.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jenkins, P. J. and Plowman, P. N. (2001). In: Handbook of acromegaly. Wass, J. A. (ed.). Bioscientifica Ltd: Surrey, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Schulder, M., Black, P., Alexander, E., and Loeffler, A. (1996). Radiology 201, 671–674.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Henderson, W. (1939). BJS 26, 811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Zervas, N. (1969). N. Engl. J. Med. 280, 429–437.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sheehan, J. P., Niranjan, A., Sheehan, J. M., et al. (2005). J. Neurosurg. 102, 678–691.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Jackson, I. M. and Noren, G. (1999). Endocrinol. Metab. Clin. N. Am. 28, 133–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Jaffe, C. and Barkan, A. (1992). Endocrinol. Metab. Clin. N. Am. 21, 713–735.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Landolt, A. M., Wuthrich, R., and Fellman, H. (1979). Lancet 1, 1082–1083.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Lutterbeck, P. M., Pryor, J. S., Varga, L., and Wenner, R. (1971). BMJ 2, 743–744.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Muller, E. E., Panerai, A. E., Cocchi, D., and Mantegazza, P. (1977). Life Sci. 21, 1545–1548.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bevan, J. S. (2002). In: Oxford textbook of endocrinology and diabetes. Wass, J. A. and Shalet, S. M. (eds.). Oxford University Press: Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Molitch, M. E. (2003). Pituitary 6, 19–27.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Liuzzi, A., Chiodini, P. G., Botallo, L., and Silvestrini, F. (1972). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 35, 941–943.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Liuzzi, A., Chiodini, P. G., Botallo, L., Silvestrini, F., and Muller, E. (1974). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39, 871–876.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wass, J. A., Thorner, M. O., Morris, D. V., et al. (1977). BMJ 1, 875–878.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Jaffe, C. A. and Barkan, A. L. (1992). Endocrinol. Metab. Clin. N. Am. 21, 713–735.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Abs, R., Verhelst, J., Maiter, D., et al. (1998). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 83, 374–378.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Krulich, L., Dhariwal, A. P., and McCann, S. M. (1968). Endocrinology 83, 783–790.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Brazeau, P., Vale, W., Burgus, R., et al. (1973). Science 179, 77–79.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Hall, R., Besser, G. M., Scally, A. V., et al. (1973). Lancet 15, 581–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Daughaday, W. H. (1985). N. Engl. J. Med. 313, 1604–1605.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lamberts, S. W. J., Van der Lely, A., De Herder, W. W., and Hofland, L. J. (1996). N. Engl. J. Med. 334, 246–254.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Plewe, G., Beyer, J., Krause, U., Neufield, M., and del Pozo, E. (1984). Lancet 2, 782–787.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Heron, I., Thomas, F., Dero, M., et al. (1993). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 76, 721–727.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Lancranjan, I., Bruns, C., and Grass, P. (1995). Metab. Clin. Exp. 44, 18–26.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Freda, P. U. (2002). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 87, 3013–3018.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Chen, W. Y., Wight, D. C., Wagner, T. E., and Kopchick, J. J. (1985). Endocrinology 129, 1402–1408.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Fuh, G., Cunningham, B. C., Funkunga, R., Nagata, S., Goedel, D. V., and Wells, J. A. (1992). Science 256, 1677–1680.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. van der Lely, A. J., Hutson, R. K., Trainer, P. J., et al. (2001). Lancet 358, 1754–1759.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. van der Hoek, J., de Herder, W. W., Feelders, R., et al. (2004). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89, 638–645.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Miller, J. W. and Crapo, L. (1993). Endo. Rev. 14, 443–458.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Nieman, L. K. (2002). Pituitary 5, 77–82.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Heaney, A. P., Fernando, M., Yong, W. H., and Melmed, S. (2002). Nat. Med. 8, 1281–1287.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Ambrosi, B., Dall’Asta, C., Cannavo, S., et al. (2004). Eur. J. Endocrinol. 151, 173–178.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Hofland, L. J., vab der Hoek, J., Feelders, R., et al. (2005). Eur. J. Endocrinol. 152, 645–654.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. McGregor, A. M., Scanlon, M. F., Hall, R., and Hall, K. (1979). BMJ 2, 700.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Oppenheim, D. S. and Klibanski, A. (1989). Endocrinol. Metab. Clin. North Am. 18, 339–358.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Greenman, Y., Tordjman, K., Osher, E., et al. (2005). Clin. Endocrinol. 63, 39–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Beck-Peccoz, P. and Persani, L. (2002). Pituitary 5, 83–88.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Kaiser, F. E., Orth, D. N., Mukai, K., and Oppenhaimer, J. H. (1983). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 57, 649–653.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK

    Simon Cudlip

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Old Rd, OX3 7LJ, Headington, Oxford, UK

    Gaya Thanabalasingham, Niki Karavitaki & John A. H. Wass

Authors
  1. Gaya Thanabalasingham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Niki Karavitaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Simon Cudlip
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John A. H. Wass
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John A. H. Wass.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thanabalasingham, G., Karavitaki, N., Cudlip, S. et al. Treatment of pituitary tumors. Endocr 28, 3–8 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:28:1:003

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:28:1:003

Key Words

Search

Navigation