Inoperable Giant Growth Hormone-secreting Pituitary Adenoma: Radiological Aspects, Clinical Management and Pregnancy Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: giant pituitary adenomas (GPAs) are benign tumours with a diameter ≥ 4 cm [1]. They can cause symptoms and signs due to the possible hyper-secretion of one or more pituitary hormones, and involvement of the surrounding structures whereas the compression of the pituitary itself can lead to hypopituitarism. METHODS: we report on a young woman with acromegaly due to an inoperable giant GH-secreting pituitary adenoma extending to right cavernous sinus, right orbital cavity, ethmoid, right maxillary sinus, sphenoid sinus, clivus and right temporal fossa, in which medical treatment with Octreotide-LAR was able to promptly relieve headache and bilateral hemianopsia due to optic chiasm involvement, improve acromegaly symptoms and, over the time, control tumor expansion, improving fertility and therefore allowing the patient to become pregnant. RESULTS: Octreotide-LAR therapy was withdrawn during pregnancy and the patient did not experience complications and gave birth to a healthy son. On Magnetic Resonance the size of the tumor at the end of pregnancy and in the subsequent follow up was not increased. CONCLUSION: the history we report, therefore, confirms previous experiences reporting a possible favourable outcome of pregnancy in patients affected by acromegaly and add further information about the behaviour of giant pituitary tumors in patients underwent pregnancy.