Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024;19(3):204-214.
doi: 10.2174/0115748871288948240325080936.

Gender Differences in Patients with Prolactinoma: Single-center Ukrainian Experience

Oleksandr Voznyak  1 , Iaroslav Zinkevych  1 , Andrii Lytvynenko  1 , Nazarii Hryniv  1 , Roman Ilyuk  1 , Nazarii Kobyliak  2   3
Affiliations

Gender Differences in Patients with Prolactinoma: Single-center Ukrainian Experience

Oleksandr Voznyak et al. Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Prolactinomas are the most common type of pituitary gland tumors that secrete overly prolactin. They account for approximately 60% of all hormone-secreting hypophysis tumors.

Aim: This study aims to analyze gender differences in patients with prolactinomas who were operated on transsphenoidal surgery and conduct a single-center retrospective analysis of patient data.

Material and methods: This study evaluated the medical records of 109 patients (61 females and 48 males) from 2009 to 2019 at Feofaniya Clinical Hospital of the State Administration of Affairs in Kyiv, Ukraine. The primary criterion for including patients was a Serum Prolactin (PRL) level of over 100 ng/ml and the presence of a pituitary adenoma (PA) as observed on MRI. Additionally, the histological examination needed to confirm the presence of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas (PSPAs) without plurihormonal activity through both microscopy and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining.

Results: Significant differences in preoperative PRL levels were not observed. However, males had significantly larger tumor sizes and prevalence of macroadenomas. In male patients, the preoperative PLR levels showed a weak negative correlation with age (r=-0.304, p < 0.036) and a positive correlation with tumor size (r=0.555, p < 0.001) and cavernous sinus invasion (r=0.339, p < 0.018). In females, preoperative PRL was significantly associated only with tumor size and Knosp grade.

Conclusion: Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas (PSPAs) are more common in women than men and are characterized by larger and more invasive tumors with high PRL levels at diagnosis. The PRL level and tumor size before surgery can predict early biochemical remission in both males and females with an accuracy of 58.3% and 68.8%, respectively.

Keywords: Prolactinomas; dopamine agonists; pituitary adenomas; prolactin; trans-sphenoidal surgery; tumor..

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Chanson P.; Maiter D.; The epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of Prolactinomas: The old and the new. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019,33(2),101290 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ciccarelli A.; Daly A.F.; Beckers A.; The epidemiology of prolactinomas. Pituitary 2005,8(1),3-6 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zielinski G.; Ozdarski M.; Maksymowicz M.; Szamotulska K.; Witek P.; Prolactinomas: Prognostic factors of early remission after transsphenoidal surgery. Front Endocrinol 2020,11,439 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Daly A.F.; Tichomirowa M.A.; Beckers A.; The epidemiology and genetics of pituitary adenomas. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009,23(5),543-554 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Molitch M.E.; Pituitary incidentalomas. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009,23(5),667-675 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources