Surgical Outcome and Treatment of Thyrotropin-Secreting Pituitary Tumors in a Tertiary Referral Center.

OBJECTIVE: Thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary tumors are rare and typically present with hyperthyroidism. Here we report the diagnosis, treatment, and surgical outcomes in a series of patients with TSH-secreting pituitary tumors in a tertiary referral center. METHODS: Descriptive retrospective study that included all patients with TSH-secreting pituitary tumors who underwent transsphenoidal surgery in the endocrinology and nutrition unit of the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (Seville, Spain) between 2004 and 2016. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 42.8 ± 17 years. The mean time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 13 ± 10 months. Four patients displayed symptoms indicating hyperthyroidism (1 suffered from tachycardia); 3 patients showed symptoms because of mass effect (visual impairment and headache) and 3 patients were diagnosed based on incidental findings after routine blood tests (high free thyroxine levels). Eight patients had macroadenomas, and 2 patients had microadenomas. Five patients underwent conventional pituitary surgery, and 5 patients underwent expanded endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. Six patients achieved cure after surgery. The other patients received radiotherapy and/or treatment with somatostatin analogs. Analysis of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) expression by immunohistochemistry could be performed in 6 tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the clinical and hormonal heterogeneity caused by TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Surgery is considered the first choice of treatment for these tumors. We observed surgical cure rates similar to those reported in recent published series. SSTR2 and SSTR3 are highly expressed in TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Our results suggest that somatostatin analog treatment may be also helpful in the treatment of TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

Thyrotropin-secreting pituitary tumor presenting with congestive heart failure and good response to dopaminergic agonist cabergoline.

Hyperthyroidism is an important inducing factor in patients with atrial fibrillation, and may trigger heart failure. Thyrotropin (thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH)-secreting pituitary tumors are rare causes of hyperthyroidism. Here, we report a 66-year-old man with a pituitary TSH-secreting tumor who presented with hyperthyroidism and congestive heart failure. Endonasal trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenomectomy was performed. After the operation, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and congestive heart failure were relieved, associated with normalization of thyroid function tests. Unfortunately, hand tremor and progressively elevated free T4 and TSH concentrations recurred 5 months after surgery. A dopaminergic agonist, cabergoline was administered and euthyroidism was restored for at least 11 months.

Tumores hipofisários secretores de TSH: relato de dois casos e revisão da literatura / TSH-secreting pituitary tumors: two case reports and literature review

INTRODUÇÃO: Tumores hipofisários secretores de hormônio estimulante da tireoide (TSH), tireotropinomas, são raros e correspondem a menos de 2 por cento de todos os adenomas da hipófise. Manifestam-se clinicamente com sintomas e sinais de tireotoxicose, eventualmente associados a sintomas compressivos, sobretudo visuais, devido ao efeito de massa do tumor. Esses tumores se caracterizam pela presença de níveis séricos elevados de hormônios tireoidianos e níveis séricos elevados, ou inapropriadamente normais, de TSH. Frequentemente, ao diagnóstico, há relato de tratamento prévio cirúrgico, medicamentoso e/ou ablativo, por hipótese de hipertireoidismo primário por doença de Graves. OBJETIVO: Relatar dois casos de tireotropinomas acompanhados na Unidade de Neuroendocrinologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HC-FMUSP) e revisar a literatura visando ao manejo desta afecção. CONCLUSÃO: Na presença de hormônios tireoidianos elevados e níveis de TSH inapropriadamente normais ou elevados, a possibilidade de adenoma hipofisário produtor de TSH deve ser considerada com vistas à realização da terapia adequada.

INTRODUCTION: TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas are rare pituitary functioning tumors accounting for less than 2 percent of the pituitary adenomas. The clinical feature consists of thyrotoxicosis occasionally associated to tumoral symptoms due to mass effect. The biochemical feature consists of elevated thyroid hormones levels and normal or high TSH concentrations. This disease is often wrongly diagnosed as Grave's disease, and the ablative therapy is frequently conducted prior to the diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To report two cases followed in the Neuroendocrine Unit of Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo and to review the literature aiming at the management of this affection. CONCLUSION: In the presence of elevated thyroid hormone levels associated with inappropriate normal or increased TSH levels, the possibility of a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma should be considered for the proper medical treatment.