Morphological Changes in Bromocriptine-Treated Pituitary Tumours

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Abstract
Eight cases of pituitary tumors (3 prolactinomas, 3 tumors secreting GH [growth hormones], and 2 tumors with a concomitant secretion of GH and PRL [prolactin]) were treated prior to open surgery with bromocriptine. These cases emanated from a series of 128 operated cases with pituitary tumors. The tumor tissue was analyzed by light microscopy and EM. In 4 cases severe morphological changes had occurred; minor changes were found in 4 cases. Specific morphological changes indicating a dysfunction effect had occurred in 1 case. It was not possible to document any consistent finding with regard to tumor susceptibility to bromocriptine. In the present limited material, the extent of morphological damage could not be correlated to dose, duration of treatment period, or endocrinological type of tumor. Patients (8) with tumors treated with bromocriptine prior to surgery were cases demonstrating no or unsatisfactory clinical/radiological effects of drug therapy.