Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Increasing evidence is available for the role of prolactin in the development of various cancers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the frequency of thyroid cancer in patients with prolactinoma followed up at a single site.

Materials and methods: Medical records of 182 patients, diagnosed with prolactinoma, were reviewed retrospectively. Out of these patients, 114 patients (103 female patients, 11 male patients, mean age 35±10.4), who had undergone thyroid ultrasonography (US), were included in the study. Serum prolactin, anti-thyroglobulin (antiTg), anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti TPO), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T₄ (fT₄), free T₃ (fT₃) values, and pituitary gland magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and US reports were evaluated.

Results: It was found that 45(39.5%) patients had thyroid nodule (13 solitary, 32 multiple). ten patients were administered thyroidectomy, and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) was detected in six of these patients (5.3%). One patient had lung metastasis. Control group consisted of 113 individuals (101 females, 12 males, mean age 32.1±9.1). In US, 28 of these individuals (24.8%) had thyroid nodule (five solitary, 23 multiple). One individual (0.8%) had DTC.

Conclusion: When compared to control group, thyroid volume and thyroid nodularity were significantly higher in patients with prolactinoma (respectively, P<0.001, P=0.018), however, no statistically significant difference was available for the incidence of thyroid cancer (P=0.196).