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Diagnosis and management of pituitary tumours in the elderly: a review based on personal experience and evidence of literature

¹ Neuromed IRRCS, Pozzili, ² Department of Neurological Sciences, University ‘La Sapienza’, Rome and ³ Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito2, 67 100 L’Aquila, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to M-L Jaffrain-Rea at University of L’Aquila, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale; Email: jaffrain.ml{at}libero.it)

Abstract

An increasing proportion of pituitary adenomas are recognized in the elderly, raising the question of their optimal diagnosis and management. Age-related endocrine changes and associated diseases may significantly modify the clinical presentation and hormonal evaluation of these patients. About 80% of pituitary adenomas in this age group are non-secreting, requiring careful differential diagnosis with non-adenomatous sellar lesions. In this group, visual deterioration and hypopituitarism remain the leading symptoms. Recognized secreting tumours are mainly GH-secreting, most of them intrasellar, followed by prolactinomas, which present as clinically non-secreting and are usually invasive. Cushing’s disease appears as a very rare eventuality in the elderly. Optimal therapeutic management should aim to control the disease while preserving or improving patient’s quality of life. Transsphenoidal surgery has proved to be an efficient and well-tolerated option for non-secreting adenomas with visual defects and intrasellar GH-secreting adenomas, being able to improve metabolic and cardiovascular complications of acromegaly even in this age group. In contrast, dopamine-agonist drugs can be proposed as a primary therapy for prolactinomas even in the presence of severe neurological complications. Because the use of radiotherapy is hampered by its delay of action and potential neurological side effects, its indications should be better defined in this age group. The clinical importance of hypopituitarism should not be underestimated, and thyroid- and adrenal-replacement therapy are mandatory in the presence of documented hormone deficiency, carefully avoiding overtreatment in order to limit possible side effects on the cardiovascular system and bone mineralization. Indications for GH- and sex steroid-replacement therapy still await age-specific guidelines.

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