Prolactinoma | 合法醫療器材資訊網

WhatisaProlactinoma?Aprolactinomaisaprolactin-producingtumourofthepituitarygland.Pleasebeassuredthatthisisabenigntumour,andnotabrain ...

A prolactinoma is a prolactin-producing tumour of the pituitary gland. This is a benign tumour, and not a brain tumour or cancer.

Doctors use the words ‘tumour’, ‘adenoma’ or ‘growth’ which means a swelling on the pituitary gland. These tumours only grow very slowly and many do not seem to grow at all.

We do not know exactly what causes prolactinomas, but they are the most common type of hormone-producing pituitary tumour.

Prolactinomas come in various sizes, but the vast majority are less than 10mm (3/8 inch) in diameter. These are called microprolactinomas. The rarer, large tumours greater than 10 mm in size are called macroprolactinomas. Prolactinomas can occur in men and women. The symptoms produced by a prolactinoma depend on the sex of the patient and the size of the tumour.

The pituitary gland produces a number of hormones, including prolactin, ACTH, TSH and GH, follicle...