Relationship between cytological picture and hormone secretion by human pituitary adenomas in cell culture.

In 22 endocrinologically active hypophyseal adenomas the relationship between the biological behaviour and the cytological picture was investigated. There was a positive correlation between the atypia of the cells in the cytograms and hormone secretion of the tumour cells in vitro and the clinical aggressiveness. Cytological examination gave a better insight into the biological properties of these tumours than histological methods.