Hormonal Markers in the Study of Pituitary Adenomas

Abstract

Twenty pituitary adenomas were studied using light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Based on clinical manifestations of hormonal hypersecretion they were divided into two groups, Le, group-I (12 patients) with no endocrine dysfunction and group-II (8 patients) with endocrine dysfunction.Group-I could be further sub-divided into two groups based on mc : group IA in which no hormone could be localised in the tissue (null cell adenomas) and group IB where hormones could be localised in the tissue (1). Tumours in group D, with light microscopy, were acidophil (n=5), basophil (n=l) or mixed (n=2) adenomas. Eight of these 20 cases were plurihormonal. Growth hormone, and prolactin were the commonest combination. This study has helped in the reclassification of the pituitary adenomas according to the hormone they produce.