Prognostic Value of Invasion, Markers of Proliferation, and Classification of Giant Pituitary Tumors, in a Georeferred Cohort in Brazil of 50 Patients, with a Long-Term Postoperative Follow-Up.

Although some pituitary adenomas may have an aggressive behavior, the vast majority are benign. There are still controversies about predictive factors regarding the biological behavior of these particular tumors. This study evaluated potential markers of invasion and proliferation compared to current classification patterns and epidemiogeographical parameters.

Clinical and laboratorial characterization and post-surgical follow-up of 87 patients with non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas.

Objective: It was to assess the main characteristics of patients undergoing pituitary tumor surgery.

Method: Eighty-seven patients (44 men; 44.8±13 years old) were included.

Mean intrasellar pressure, visual field, headache intensity and quality of life of patients with pituitary adenoma.

Intrasellar pressure (ISP) measurement technique has recently opened a new line of research in neuroendocrinology. The absolute and mean ISP values were investigated in 25 patients consecutively operated at the Brasilia University Hospital (DF). These data were correlated with serum prolactin levels, number of visual quadrant affected, tumor size, quality of life (measured through the SF-36 scale) and graded headache (measured through the HIT-6 scale).

Expression of p53, Ki-67 and c-erb B2 in growth hormone-and/or prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas.

The subcellular events implicated on the formation and behavior of pituitary adenomas are not fully understood. In this study we investigated the presence of p53, Ki-67 and c-erb B2 in 38 pituitary adenomas with immunohistochemical positivity for GH and prolactin (n=26; 68.4%), for prolactin (n=9; 23.

[Non-functioning pituitary adenomas: clinical features and immunohistochemistry].

Unlabelled: Clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas do not produce clinical signs of hormonal hypersecretion. Therefore, signs and symptoms will depend on the mass effect of these adenomas over the central nervous system. Their etiopathogeny is complex and their development is probably influenced by several factors, such as hypothalamic hormones (GHRH), growth factors (FGF), proliferation factors (PCNA, and KI-67), protein P53 and the proto-oncogene c-erb-B2.

Endothelin-1 levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) after aneurysmal rupture and compared with levels of ET-1 in volunteers. We analyze the relationship between levels of ET-1 in both CSF and plasma with the risk of developing cerebral vasospasm (CVS).

Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples were collected from 30 selected patients after SAH and from 10 healthy volunteers who were used as control.