Prolaktinoma

General characteristic of a disease

Prolaktinoma is a kind of a benign tumor of a hypophysis. Prolaktinoma of a malignant etiology meet exclusively seldom. Prolaktinoma causes increase in the sizes of a hypophysis and increase in production of hormone of prolactin in an organism (from here and the name of a disease).

Prolaktinoma – one of the most widespread types of tumors. Posthumous autopsy of a brain allowed to reveal existence of a prolaktinoma of a hypophysis at 25% of patients. In a quarter of cases during lifetime the tumor behaved not aggressively and did not influence secretion of hormones. In 40% of cases because of the small sizes of a tumor symptoms of a prolaktinoma were not expressed. Usually the size of these tumors did not exceed 3 mm.

And only at the remained 35% of people with revealed prolaktinomy a hypophysis rapid growth of a tumor and rapid increase in the sizes of a hypophysis was characteristic of a disease. The reasons provoking in certain cases aggression of a prolaktinoma of a hypophysis are still not known to medicine.

Prolaktinoma symptoms

Normal prolactin level in an organism of the woman increases during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Quality of a lactation depends on this hormone.

At the pathological supersecretion of prolactin caused by growth of a prolaktinoma of a hypophysis at the woman the giperprolaktinemiya develops.

Among symptoms of a prolaktinoma call disturbances of a menstrual cycle. At patients with prolaktinomy a hypophysis are possible:

• oligomenorrhea (small duration of menstrual bleeding).
• opsomenorrhea (rare periods with a cycle of 35 days and more),
• and also amenorrhea (lack of periods).

Disturbances of a menstrual cycle at a prolaktinoma of a hypophysis are provoked by pathologies of production of the luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones caused by the high level of prolactin in an organism.

One more important symptom of a prolaktinoma at women – a galactorrhoea or release of milk from chest glands. This phenomenon develops as a result of natural physiological effect: prolactin level increases, and the breast of the woman prepares for a lactation. The galactorrhoea does not lead to oncology of mammary glands, but increases risk of development of a mastopathy (high-quality growth of tissues of breast).

Patients with prolaktinomy a hypophysis also quite often complain of a headache. This symptom of a prolaktinoma is connected with disturbances of hormonal balance in the woman's organism.

At men carry a gynecomastia (increase in the sizes of chest glands) to symptoms of a prolaktinoma. Prolactin oppresses production of men's hormone of testosterone. Therefore decrease in a libido acts as one more bright symptom of a prolaktinoma, up to development of impotence. Prolaktinoma of a hypophysis at men can also lead to infertility, and especially large tumors cause problems with sight.

At male patients prolaktinoma of the large sizes meet more often. Hypophysis microadenomas are diagnosed for most of women.

Diagnosis of a prolaktinoma

It is possible to determine prolactin level in an organism on the basis of blood tests. Visualization of a prolaktinoma of a hypophysis happens to the help of a contrast magnetic and resonant tomography. At tumors of the large sizes komyyuterno-tomographic scanning of a brain allows to receive better outlines of a prolaktinoma.

Treatment of a prolaktinoma

Treatment of a prolaktinoma can be conservative and surgical. At the small sizes of a tumor treatment of a prolaktinoma begins with conservative therapy. Carry to the drugs reducing prolactin secretion: Parlodelum, Levodopas, Lizurid, Peritolum, Lergotril, etc. Conservative treatment of a prolaktinoma of the small sizes is effective in 85% of cases.

At inefficient treatment of a prolaktinoma conservative methods recommend carrying out beam radiation and the subsequent microsurgical oncotomy of a hypophysis. Results of operational treatment of a prolaktinoma usually good. In 2-3 months after an oncotomy the level of prolactin returns to normal. At women the menstrual cycle is recovered by this time, at men the libido raises and quality of an erection improves.