[Prolactin secreting adenomas: surgical treatment and results. 120 female cases, 30 males cases (author's transl)].

Twenty one per cent of the female cases concerned microadenomas discovered because of amenorrhea with or without galactorrhea. Sixty two per cent of these cases were cured by surgery alone, against 40% of the other types of prolactin (Prl) -- secreting tumors with extra-sellar extensions which were not cured. With men, no microadenomas was discovered (although one case demonstrated their possible existence) and in the most frequent cases, tumors exhibited extra-sellar extensions sometimes very large (giant tumors). In these cases, tumoral symptoms were cured by surgery while only 5 out of 30 men recovered a normal plasma Prl. level (30 ng/ml). In all cases the prognosis was established taking into account the volume and invasive characters (at the surgical and histopathological level) of the tumors. The different therapeutical approaches of these tumors (i.e. medical treatment by CB 154, surgery of Rxtherapy) were evaluated. Anyway the necessity of an earlier diagnosis is pointed out allowing the possibility of a selective adenomectomy by a microsurgical approach.