Endocrine Abstracts

Pituiatry tumors account for about 15% of all intracranial neoplasms. They arise from pituitary cell types due to both cell cycle trophic dysruptions leading to adenomatous growth, as well as a coupling of specific hormone gene over-expression. Thus, both tumor growth characteristics, as well as hormonal excess are the hallmarks of these invariably benign tumors. They may lead to both central compressive features due to mass expansion or invasion, as well as to specific clinic...

In the late 1700s, a 22 y patient suffering from pituitary gigantism died and his skeleton was deposited in a medical museum. A contemporary etching showed him standing alongside a set of giant twin brothers who were believed to be his cousins. The existence of such a rare disorder within closely related family members indicates to modern science a genetic dimension to their disease. In 1909 Cushing opened the skull and he found a greatly enlarged pituitary fossa. We identifie...

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