Mammosomatotroph cell adenoma of the human pituitary: a morphologic entity

Abstract

Nine cases of a hitherto undescribed morphologic entity, termed mammosomatotroph cell adenoma of the human pituitary, are reported. These tumors, occurring mostly in men, are invariably associated with acromegaly (or gigantism) and high-normal or slightly elevated blood prolactin levels, and it cannot be distinguished clinically from well-differentiated growth hormone cell or mixed growth hormone cell-prolactin cell adenomas. They show a slow growth rate and usually exhibit a diffuse pattern and intense cytoplasmic acidophilia by histology. The immunoperoxidase technique detects both growth hormone and prolactin within the same cells. Electron microscopy reveals monomorphous tumors with a fine structure markedly similar to that of well-differentiated, densely granulated growth hormone cell adenomas. An added feature and diagnostic marker of mammosomatotroph cell adenoma is the presence of extracellular deposits of secretory material. One tumor shows a marked abnormality of hormone packaging and storage, resulting in the cytoplasmic accumulation of pleomorphic bodies containing semicrystalline secretory material.