Hyperprolactinemia/Prolactinomas in the Postmenopausal Period: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management. 2019

Sandra Pekić, and Milica Medic Stojanoska, and Vera Popovic
School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Hyperprolactinemia is not a common finding in postmenopausal women. Prolactinomas detected after menopause are usually macroadenomas. Due to atypical clinical features they may remain unrecognized for a long period of time. Interestingly the growth potential of prolactinomas remains after menopause. Most tumors are invasive and present with high prolactin levels. They respond to medical treatment with dopamine agonists in terms of prolactin normalization, tumor shrinkage, and improvement in pituitary function. Treatment with dopamine agonists is usually long term. Reducing doses of cabergoline to the lowest that keeps prolactin levels normal prior to withdrawal is proposed to patients with macroprolactinomas who normalize prolactin after > 5 years of treatment and who do not have cavernous sinus invasion. Cabergoline can achieve a high percentage of remission maintenance in the first years after withdrawal. However, the percentage of relapse-free patients 5 years after withdrawal is significantly lower. Besides recurrent hyper-prolactinemia in a subgroup of macroprolactinomas after a long-interval tumor regrowth may be detected. Menopause cannot ensure remission of the tumor so long-term surveillance is suggested. In patients with microadenomas data on long-term remission rates (normalization of prolactin and disappearance of the tumor) after suspension of treatment with dopamine agonists are highly variable. The current strategy for microprolactinomas is not to treat hyperprolactinemia in menopause if it recurrs after discontinuation of dopamine agonists. This is based on: (1) reports that elevated prolactin levels may normalize in some women after menopause, (2) the fact that the association between prolactin levels and breast cancer is inconsistent in postmenopausal women, (3) the lack of clinical evidence that normalization of prolactin levels in postmenopausal women improves bone mineral density or reduces the risk of fracture, and (4) the fact that, concerning the metabolic syndrome, no data are available on metabolic parameters after suspension of treatment with dopamine agonists. For a change in strategy, i.e., for the potential benefits from treatment of hyperprolactinemia in the postmenopausal period with dopamine agonists concerning weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, decreased fracture risk, and improved sexuality, more evidence is needed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006966 Hyperprolactinemia Increased levels of PROLACTIN in the BLOOD, which may be associated with AMENORRHEA and GALACTORRHEA. Relatively common etiologies include PROLACTINOMA, medication effect, KIDNEY FAILURE, granulomatous diseases of the PITUITARY GLAND, and disorders which interfere with the hypothalamic inhibition of prolactin release. Ectopic (non-pituitary) production of prolactin may also occur. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch36, pp77-8) Prolactin Hypersecretion Syndrome,Prolactin, Inappropriate Secretion,Hyperprolactinaemia,Inappropriate Prolactin Secretion,Inappropriate Prolactin Secretion Syndrome,Hyperprolactinemias,Hypersecretion Syndrome, Prolactin,Inappropriate Secretion Prolactin,Prolactin Secretion, Inappropriate,Secretion Prolactin, Inappropriate,Secretion, Inappropriate Prolactin,Syndrome, Prolactin Hypersecretion
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010911 Pituitary Neoplasms Neoplasms which arise from or metastasize to the PITUITARY GLAND. The majority of pituitary neoplasms are adenomas, which are divided into non-secreting and secreting forms. Hormone producing forms are further classified by the type of hormone they secrete. Pituitary adenomas may also be characterized by their staining properties (see ADENOMA, BASOPHIL; ADENOMA, ACIDOPHIL; and ADENOMA, CHROMOPHOBE). Pituitary tumors may compress adjacent structures, including the HYPOTHALAMUS, several CRANIAL NERVES, and the OPTIC CHIASM. Chiasmal compression may result in bitemporal HEMIANOPSIA. Pituitary Cancer,Cancer of Pituitary,Cancer of the Pituitary,Pituitary Adenoma,Pituitary Carcinoma,Pituitary Tumors,Adenoma, Pituitary,Adenomas, Pituitary,Cancer, Pituitary,Cancers, Pituitary,Carcinoma, Pituitary,Carcinomas, Pituitary,Neoplasm, Pituitary,Neoplasms, Pituitary,Pituitary Adenomas,Pituitary Cancers,Pituitary Carcinomas,Pituitary Neoplasm,Pituitary Tumor,Tumor, Pituitary,Tumors, Pituitary
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D015175 Prolactinoma A pituitary adenoma which secretes PROLACTIN, leading to HYPERPROLACTINEMIA. Clinical manifestations include AMENORRHEA; GALACTORRHEA; IMPOTENCE; HEADACHE; visual disturbances; and CEREBROSPINAL FLUID RHINORRHEA. Adenoma, Prolactin-Secreting, Pituitary,PRL-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma,Pituitary Adenoma, Prolactin-Secreting,Lactotroph Adenoma,Macroprolactinoma,Microprolactinoma,Prolactin-Producing Pituitary Adenoma,Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma,Prolactinoma, Familial,Adenoma, Lactotroph,Adenomas, Lactotroph,Lactotroph Adenomas,Macroprolactinomas,Microprolactinomas,PRL Secreting Pituitary Adenoma,PRL-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas,Pituitary Adenoma, PRL-Secreting,Pituitary Adenoma, Prolactin Secreting,Pituitary Adenoma, Prolactin-Producing,Pituitary Adenomas, PRL-Secreting,Pituitary Adenomas, Prolactin-Producing,Pituitary Adenomas, Prolactin-Secreting,Prolactin Producing Pituitary Adenoma,Prolactin Secreting Pituitary Adenoma,Prolactin-Producing Pituitary Adenomas,Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas,Prolactinomas
D017698 Postmenopause The physiological period following the MENOPAUSE, the permanent cessation of the menstrual life. Post-Menopause,Post-menopausal Period,Postmenopausal Period,Period, Post-menopausal,Period, Postmenopausal,Post Menopause,Post menopausal Period,Post-Menopauses

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