Pituitary adenomas in the framework of hereditary syndromes

The overwhelming majority of the pituitary tumours are benign adenomas that remain a serious challenge to endocrinologists and neurosurgeons by virtue of great variety of their early manifestations, the impossibility to predict the neoplastic growth, and the influence exerted on the patients' quality of life. Most pituitary adenomas are sporadic tumours and only few of them develop in the framework of hereditary syndromes. The present review is focused on the variants of hereditary syndromes with special reference to various pituitary neoplasms. The molecular and genetic studies revealed several genetic defects that are believed to contribute to the formation of pituitary adenomas. Moreover, a few genes were identified responsible for the development of hereditary forms of pituitary tumours. Identification of such genes and pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the development of pituitary microadenomas is of paramount importance for the improvement of their diagnostics and treatment that in its turn may promote the understanding of pathogenesis of sporadic adenomas and improve their prognosis.