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Review
. 2023 Aug 1;31(7):485-489.
doi: 10.1097/PAI.0000000000001070. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Pathology of Crooke Cells in the Human Pituitaries: A Timely Review

Robert Y Osamura  1   2 , Chie Inomoto  3 , Shigeyuki Tahara  4 , Ken-Ichi Oyama  5 , Akira Matsuno  6 , Akira Teramoto  7
Affiliations
Review

Pathology of Crooke Cells in the Human Pituitaries: A Timely Review

Robert Y Osamura et al. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. .

Abstract

Crooke cell change was first found in the regressed and suppressed corticotroph (adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing) cells, and now is known to occur in pituitary tumors. The tumor cells of this type can be recognized by morphology with immunohistochemistry, and are well known to predict aggressive behavior such as invasion and rare metastases. This is one of the representative neuroendocrine tumors in the pituitary which is now considered to have malignant potential as proposed in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tracts. It is important to emphasize the pituitary tumor pathology such as Crooke cell change for prognostication and appropriate therapies. This review article describes the evolution from the Crooke cells to Crooke cell tumors which is timely along with the Fifth WHO classification 2022 published online.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

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    1. World Health Organiztion (WHO). WHO Classification of Tumours of Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Tumors Pituitary Gland, 5th Edition. IARC; 2022.
    1. Asa SL, Mete O, Perry A, et al. Overview of the 2022 WHO Classification of Pituitary Tumors. Endocr Pathol. 2022;33:6–26.
    1. Crooke AC. Change in the basophil cells of the pituitary gland common to conditions which exhibit the syndrome attributed to basophil adenoma. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1935;41:339–349.
    1. Kennedy JH, Williams MJ, Sommers SC. Cushing’s syndrome and cancer of the lung: pituitary Crooke Cell hyperplasia in pulmonary oat cell carcinoma. Ann Surg. 1964;160:90–94.

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