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Treatment of pituitary tumors

Radiation

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Abstract

In this paper, the role of conventional radiotherapy and radiosurgery in the management of pituitary tumors is reviewed. After a short summary of the mechanism of action of irradiation therapy and the types of different irradiation techniques, the therapeutic effects and side effects are analyzed in patients with different types of pituitary tumors, including our own experience with conventional radiotherapy and radiosurgery in patients with acromegaly. Conventional fractionated radiotherapy has long been used to control growth and/or hormonal secretion of residual or recurrent pituitary tumors. However, patient selection for conventional radiotherapy still remains a controversial issue, because a number of potentially significant side effects, including hypopituitarism and other complications, have been described. Stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery methods have several potential advantages over conventional radiotherapy, including their use in patients with residual or recurrent pituitary tumors who had previously been treated by conventional radiotherapy, but long-term follow-up data with these relatively new techniques are still limited.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2nd Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Hungary

    Ágnes Mondok, Edit Gláz & Károly Rácz MD

  2. National Institute of Neurosurgery and Department of Neurosurgery, Semmelweis University, Hungary

    György T. Szeifert, Sándor Czirják & István Nyáry

  3. Municipal Center of Radiooncology, Uzsoki Hospital, Budapest, Hungary

    Árpád Mayer

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  1. Ágnes Mondok
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  2. György T. Szeifert
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  3. Árpád Mayer
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  4. Sándor Czirják
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  5. Edit Gláz
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  7. Károly Rácz MD
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Correspondence to Károly Rácz MD.

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Mondok, Á., Szeifert, G.T., Mayer, Á. et al. Treatment of pituitary tumors. Endocr 28, 77–85 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:28:1:077

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