The epidemiology of prolactinomas.

Abstract

Prolactin-secreting tumors (prolactinomas), the most frequently occurring pituitary tumor, have a frequency that varies with age and sex. They occur most frequently in females aged 20 to 50 years old, at which time the female-to-male ratio is approximately 10:1. In the pediatric-adolescent age group, prolactinomas have a prevalence of 100/million population, and account for less than 2% of all intracranial tumors. Prolactinomas occur in approximately 30% of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 and in this setting, they may be more aggressive than their sporadic counterparts. Patients with Carney complex or McCune-Albright syndrome may exhibit hyperprolactinemia due to a pituitary tumor derived from somatomammotropic cells that secrete both growth hormone and prolactin. Few familial cases of prolactinoma unrelated to MEN-1 are reported in literature.

• Authors: Antonio Ciccarelli, Adrian F Daly, Albert Beckers
• Journal: Pituitary (Pituitary) Vol. 8 Issue 1 Pg. 3-6 ( 2005) ISSN: 1386-341X [Print] United States
• PMID: 16411062 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Age Factors
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic (complications, epidemiology)
• Humans
• Hyperprolactinemia (complications, epidemiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (complications, epidemiology, genetics)
• Pituitary Neoplasms (complications, epidemiology, genetics)
• Prevalence
• Prolactinoma (complications, epidemiology, genetics)
• Sex Factors