GALACTORRHOEA, HYPERPROLACTINAEMIA AND PITUITARY TUMOURS IN THE FEMALE

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Abstract
A series of sixty‐two women with pituitary tumours, but having neither acromegaly nor Cushing's disease, has been analysed with respect to mode of presentation. Thirty‐six (58%) presented with amenorrhoea and galactorrhoea and a further fifteen (24%) presented with amenorrhoea only. Pretreatment prolactin levels were available in thirty‐four of these patients and in twenty‐seven (79%) hyperprolactinaemia was found, this occurring in the absence of a history of galactorrhoea in four out of ten cases. In addition, among a series of twenty‐five unselected women with unexplained galactorrhoea, we have found twelve pituitary tumours, amenorrhoea being a feature of all twelve cases. We conclude that the incidence of hyperprolactinaemia in women with apparently functionless pituitary tumours is much higher than previously estimated and suggest that serum prolactin should be assayed in all patients with such tumours even in the absence of a history of galactorrhoea. All patients with unexplained galactorrhoea should have careful radiological investigation for a possible pituitary tumour.