Diagnostic criteria in pituitary tumour recurrence--combined modality of surgery and radiotherapy.

The tumour recurrence rate of 210 patients with operated hypophysomas were investigated. Depending on the surgical approach, total or subtotal extirpation of the adenomas, the recurrence rates varied from 10,4 to 35%. 33 patients with pituitary tumour recurrences were followed up over a period of 20 years. Clinical symptoms CT-results at relapse are represented. Serum prolactin level (PRL) was determined before and after surgical and radiotherapy of PRL-producing adenomas. In these cases PRL can be accepted as a tumour marker. 13 patients with relapsed hypophysomas received local irradiation (5.7 MeV linear accelerator) after recurrence operation. An individual comparison in the same patient between surgical therapy alone and combined surgical and radiotherapy was possible. Based on the obtained experience with this combined treatment a therapy scheme using combined surgery and radiotherapy in pituitary tumours is suggested.