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Effect of dopaminergic drug treatment on surgical findings in prolactinomas

It has been reported that prolactinomas treated with Bromocriptine (BROM) show fibrosis that may interfere with complete surgical resection. The same has not been reported for Cabergoline (CAB). We retrospectively studied 24 consecutive patients (13 females, mean age 40 years, range 16-60) with histopathologically confirmed prolactinomas undergoing surgical resection at Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1992 and 2009. We compared these prolactinomas to 34 patients (22 females, mean age 42.9 years, range 15-75) with GH-secreting adenoma. The operative notes from 7 different neurosurgeons were reviewed to catalog the tumors as fibrous or not fibrous. Of the 24 prolactinomas, 21 (87.5%) were previously treated with DA. Indication for surgery was: DA resistance (n.5), DA intolerance (n.6), persistent mass effect (n.7) and CSF leak (n.3). Five (14.7%) of GH-secreting adenomas, were exposed to DA and/or somatostatin analogs. We found that 54% of prolactinomas and only 6% of GH-secreting adenomas were described as fibrous. 10/12 (77%) of prolactinomas exposed to BROM for at least 1 month, 2/9 (22%) exposed to CAB only, and 1/3 (33%) not previously treated were fibrous (P < 0.05). The mean BROM cumulative dose was 406 mg (range 75-1,375), while CAB dose was 28 mg (range 6-70). Only 18% of non-fibrous prolactinomas had been exposed to BROM. Only 3 patients had persistent biochemical remission (2 treated with CAB and 1 not treated). Patients exposed to BROM for at least 1 month are more likely to have tumor fibrosis than patients that are untreated or treated with CAB.

Surgical outcomes in hyporesponsive prolactinomas: analysis of patients with resistance or intolerance to dopamine agonists

Surgery for prolactinoma patients is usually reserved for those who are intolerant of or have an inadequate response to medication. We report the results of surgical treatment in these patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of patients with histopathologically confirmed prolactinomas; two patients treated with craniotomy and 77 patients with prolactinomas treated by transsphenoidal surgery between 1993 and 2003. We evaluated symptomatic patients who did not tolerate or did not respond to dopamine agonist therapy (persistent hyperprolactinemia and/or no shrinkage of tumor mass). We report remission rates, prolactin levels, and medications either not tolerated or ineffective.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients were intolerant of medical therapy (nine with macroadenomas and nine with microadenomas). Postoperatively, 12 patients (67%) achieved normalization of prolactin and relief of symptoms from surgery alone. Sixty-one patients were resistant to dopamine agonist therapy (45 with macroadenomas and 16 with microadenomas). Forty-six patients had both elevated prolactin levels and no shrinkage. 22 patients (36%) achieved normal postoperative prolactin levels. Ten of the remaining 39 patients required adjunctive medical therapy to maintain normal prolactin levels and relief of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Remission through surgery was achieved in 67% (12 of 18 patients, 4 macroadenomas and 8 microadenomas) of prolactinoma patients who fail medical therapy with dopamine agonists because of intolerance to medication. Remission was also achieved in 36% (22 of 61 patients, 12 macroadenomas and 10 microadenomas) of patients who demonstrated resistance to dopamine agonist medication.