A comparison of pathology examination and immunohistochemistry in studying pituitary adenomas

Abstract

The integration of clinical, biochemical, radiological, and pathological data is crucial for diagnosing and managing pituitary adenomas (PAs). The objective of the study is to compare the clinical and biochemical classifications of PAs with their histopathological findings to improve diagnosis and treatment. This study characterized the clinical, hormonal, and pathological profiles of 40 patients with histologically confirmed PAs. Histopathological analysis identified eosinophilic adenomas in 75% of cases, amphophilic adenomas in 15%, and basophilic adenomas in 10%. Hormonal profiling revealed 22.5% prolactinomas, 15% somatotroph adenomas, 0.5% Cushing disease, and 57.5% non-functioning adenomas. Morphologically, tumors exhibited solid (55%), trabecular (30%), and papillary (15%) growth patterns. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis revealed monohormonal secretion in 31.5%, mixed growth hormone/prolactin secretion in 39.4%, and plurihormonal secretion in 28.9% of cases. In conclusion, this study highlights prolactinomas as the most prevalent subtype, underscoring the critical role of integrating histopathological and IHC findings for accurate diagnosis and classification of adenomas.

Keywords

Adenomas / Pathology / Immunohistochemistry / Hormones / Pituitary

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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