Comparative analysis of surgical and medical treatment of macroprolactinoma of different localization

: The authors performed comparative analysis of results of primary surgical and medical treatment of 306 patients with macroprolactinoma. The series included 178 male and 128 female patients. The tumor was endosellar in 48 cases, endosuprasellar in 94, invaded skull base in 164. The paper demonstrates that according to dynamics of visual function, neurological and hypopituitary symptoms, and probability of prolactin level normalization, treatment with cabergoline has significant advantages in comparison to surgery. Only surgical treatment of endosellar prolactinomas can compete with conservative treatment. After these operations no postoperative complications were observed, normalization of prolactin level was present in 67% of cases, and these results did not differ from results of medical treatment (71%). In case of extrasellar grown of macroprolactinoma, especially invading skull base, primary medical therapy is preferred.