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Introduction: With the goal of generate uniform criteria among centers dealing with pituitary tumors and to enhance patient care, the Pituitary Society decided to generate criteria for developing Pituitary Tumors Centers of Excellence (PTCOE). Methods: To develop that task, a group of ten experts served as a Task Force and through two years of iterative work an initial draft was elaborated. This draft was discussed, modified and finally approved by the Board of Directors of the Pituitary Society. Such document was presented and debated at a specific session of the Congress of the Pituitary Society, Orlando 2017, and suggestions were incorporated. Finally the document was distributed to a large group of global experts that introduced further modifications with final endorsement. Results: After five years of iterative work a document with the ideal criteria for a PTCOE is presented. Conclusions: Acknowledging that very few centers in the world, if any, likely fulfill the requirements here presented, the document may be a tool to guide improvements of care delivery to patients with pituitary disorders. All these criteria must be accommodated to the regulations and organization of Health of a given country.

Congenital combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) is associated with deficiencies of anterior pituitary hormones. PROP1 gene mutations are often responsible for CPHD, but few such cases have been reported in Japan. This study describes a 37-year-old Japanese man with CPHD, treated with hydrocortisone, testosterone, and L-thyroxine, who was evaluated for adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Gene analysis revealed a previously unknown PROP1 mutation (R112X). After 10 months of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) administration, cortisol and urinary free cortisol levels were significantly lower than before therapy. This case underscores the importance of reassessing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in GHD patients, especially those with a PROP1 mutation, during rhGH therapy., 先天性下垂体ホルモン複合欠損症は，下垂体前葉ホルモンが先天性にいろいろな欠損を伴う疾患である．PROP1 遺伝子異常症はしばしば先天性下垂体ホルモン複合欠損症の原因となりうるが，日本人患者の報告は非常に少ない．本症例は37 歳日本人男性のPROP1 遺伝子異常症であり，ハイドロコートン，テストステロンおよびチラージンS の補充療法を以前から受けている．今回精査の結果，重症成人成長ホルモン分泌不全症が判明し成長ホルモンの補充を開始した症例である．遺伝子解析にてR112X（Arg 112 Ter）と今までに報告のない変異を伴ったPROP1 遺伝子異常症であることが判明した．ところで成長ホルモン補充開始後10 カ月において，血中コルチゾール，尿中コルチゾールが補充前と比較して有意な低下を認めた．成長ホルモンの補充を開始したPROP1遺伝子異常症において，視床下部―下垂体―副腎系の厳重な経過観察が重要であることが示唆された．

Macroprolactinemia is characterized by a large molecular mass of PRL (macroprolactin) as the main molecular form of PRL in sera, the frequent elevation of serum PRL (hyperprolactinemia), and the lack of symptoms. Macroprolactin is largely a complex of PRL with immunoglobulin G (IgG), especially anti-PRL autoantibodies. The prevalence of macroprolactinemia is 10–25% in patients with hyperprolactinemia and 3.7% in general population. There is no gender difference and a long-term followup demonstrates that macroprolactinemia develops before middle age and is likely a chronic condition. Polyethylene-glycol- (PEG-) precipitation method is widely used for screening macroprolactinemia, and gel filtration chromatography, protein A/G column, and I125-PRL binding studies are performed to confirm and clarify its nature. The cross-reactivity of macroprolactin varies widely according to the immunoassay systems. The epitope on PRL molecule recognized by the autoantibodies is located close to the binding site for PRL receptors, which may explain that macroprolactin has a lower biological activity. Hyperprolactinemia frequently seen in macroprolactinemic patients is due to the delayed clearance of autoantibody-bound PRL. When rats are immunized with rat pituitary PRL, anti-PRL autoantibodies are produced and hyperprolactinemia develops, mimicking macroprolactinemia in humans. Screening of macroprolactinemia is important for the differential diagnosis of hyperprolactinemia to avoid unnecessary examinations and treatments.

Using 27 externally normal human fetuses ranging from the four to the tenth lunar months gestation (M) (7.3 to 36.0cm in crown-rump length), the histogenesis of the lung was examined by the conventional methods. A part of the middle lobe of the lung was sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, respectively. The epithelia of the terminal buds were the columnar or the low columnar at the fourth M, the low columnar to the cuboidal at the fifth M and the cuboidal to the flattened at the sixth M. The difference of the nuclei's stainability between the tubuli appeared at the end of the fourth M, and became evident at the fifth M, and was clear at the sixth M. The proliferation of the capillaries appeared in the mesenchyme near the epithelium between the end of the fourth M and the beginning of the fifth M. Thereafter, the capillaries began to invade at the proximal part of the terminal buds and were exposed directly to the air spaces at the seventh M. The mesenchymal condensation and irregularity of arrangement of the epithelium appeared at the proximal part of the terminal buds.

Objective To investigate the long-term efficacy and tolerability of osilodrostat, a potent oral 11β-hydroxylase inhibitor, for treating Cushing's disease (CD). Design/methods A total of 137 adults with CD and mean 24-h urinary free cortisol (mUFC) > 1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) received osilodrostat (starting dose 2 mg bid; maximum 30 mg bid) during the prospective, Phase III, 48-week LINC 3 (NCT02180217) core study. Patients benefiting from osilodrostat at week 48 could enter the optional extension (ending when all patients had received ≥ 72 weeks of treatment or discontinued). Efficacy and safety were assessed for all enrolled patients from the core study baseline. Results Median osilodrostat exposure from the core study baseline to study end was 130 weeks (range 1–245) and median average dose was 7.4 mg/day (range 0.8–46.6). The reduction in mean mUFC achieved during the core was maintained during the extension and remained ≤ ULN. Of 106 patients, 86 (81%) patients who entered the extension had mUFC ≤ ULN at week 72. Improvements in cardiovascular/metabolic-related parameters, physical manifestations of hypercortisolism (fat pads, central obesity, rubor, striae, and hirsutism in females), and quality of life in the core study were also maintained or improved further during the extension. No new safety signals were reported; 15/137 (10.9%) and 12/106 (11.3%) patients discontinued for adverse events during the core and extension, respectively. Mean testosterone in females decreased towards baseline levels during the extension. Conclusions Data from this large, multicentre trial show that long-term treatment with osilodrostat sustains cortisol normalisation alongside clinical benefits in most patients with CD and is well tolerated.

Purpose In a 10-week proof-of-concept study (LINC 1), the potent oral 11β-hydroxylase inhibitor osilodrostat (LCI699) normalized urinary free cortisol (UFC) in 11/12 patients with Cushing’s disease. The current 22-week study (LINC 2; NCT01331239) further evaluated osilodrostat in patients with Cushing’s disease. Methods Phase II, open-label, prospective study of two patient cohorts. Follow-up cohort: 4/12 patients previously enrolled in LINC 1, offered re-enrollment if baseline mean UFC was above ULN. Expansion cohort: 15 newly enrolled patients with baseline UFC > 1.5 × ULN. In the follow-up cohort, patients initiated osilodrostat twice daily at the penultimate efficacious/tolerable dose in LINC 1; dose was adjusted as needed. In the expansion cohort, osilodrostat was initiated at 4 mg/day (10 mg/day if baseline UFC > 3 × ULN), with dose escalated every 2 weeks to 10, 20, 40, and 60 mg/day until UFC ≤ ULN. Main efficacy endpoint was the proportion of responders (UFC ≤ ULN or ≥50 % decrease from baseline) at weeks 10 and 22. Results Overall response rate was 89.5 % (n/N = 17/19) at 10 weeks and 78.9 % (n/N = 15/19) at 22 weeks; at week 22, all responding patients had UFC ≤ ULN. The most common AEs observed during osilodrostat treatment were nausea, diarrhea, asthenia, and adrenal insufficiency (n = 6 for each). New or worsening hirsutism (n = 2) and/or acne (n = 3) were reported among four female patients, all of whom had increased testosterone levels. Conclusions Osilodrostat treatment reduced UFC in all patients; 78.9 % (n/N = 15/19) had normal UFC at week 22. Treatment with osilodrostat was generally well tolerated. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11102-015-0692-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective To collect outcome data in a large cohort of patients with aggressive pituitary tumours (APT)/carcinomas (PC) and specifically report effects of temozolomide (TMZ) treatment. Design Electronic survey to ESE members Dec 2015–Nov 2016. Results Reports on 166 patients (40 PC, 125 APT, 1 unclassified) were obtained. Median age at diagnosis was 43 (range 4–79) years. 69% of the tumours were clinically functioning, and the most frequent immunohistochemical subtype were corticotroph tumours (45%). Ki-67 index did not distinguish APT from PC, median 7% and 10% respectively. TMZ was first-line chemotherapy in 157 patients. At the end of the treatment (median 9 cycles), radiological evaluation showed complete response (CR) in 6%, partial response (PR) in 31%, stable disease (SD) in 33% and progressive disease in 30%. Response was more frequent in patients receiving concomitant radiotherapy and TMZ. CR was seen only in patients with low MGMT expression. Clinically functioning tumours were more likely to respond than non-functioning tumours, independent of MGMT status. Of patients with CR, PR and SD, 25, 40 and 48% respectively progressed after a median of 12-month follow-up. Other oncological drugs given as primary treatment and to TMZ failures resulted in PR in 20%. Conclusion This survey confirms that TMZ is established as first-line chemotherapeutic treatment of APT/PC. Clinically functioning tumours, low MGMT and concurrent radiotherapy were associated with a better response. The limited long-term effect of TMZ and the poor efficacy of other drugs highlight the need to identify additional effective therapies.