Role of sex hormones in development of pituitary adenoma.

Role of sex hormones in the development of pituitary adenomas was investigated by analyzing the content of nuclear estradiol and testosterone receptors in different tumors of the anterior pituitary: prolactinomas, meningiomas, growth hormone-producing adenomas, astrocytomas, neurinomas, and ependymomas. The concentration of nuclear estrogen and androgen receptors in prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas was much higher than in growth hormone-producing adenomas and other pituitary tumors.