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An unusual association of a sellar gangliocytoma with a prolactinoma

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Abstract

The simultaneous occurrence of a hypothalamic and sellar gangliocytoma with a pituitary prolactinoma is very rare. The explanation for such an association is not known. We describe the case of a woman who had a coexisting adjacent pituitary prolactinoma and gangliocytoma within the same sellar mass. The tumor cells of the gangliocytoma demonstrated expression of enkephalin, a product of proopiomelanocortin known to be a prolactin secretagogue. We postulate that in this patient there may be a link between gangliocytoma enkephalin and prolactin hypersecretion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine, Radiology and Pathology, CHUM Notre-Dame Hospital, University of Montreal, 1560 Sherbrooke East, Montreal, QC, Canada, H2L 4M1

    Omar Serri, France Berthelet, Manon Bélair & Sophie Vallette

  2. University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Sylvia L. Asa

Authors
  1. Omar Serri
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  2. France Berthelet
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  3. Manon Bélair
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  4. Sophie Vallette
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  5. Sylvia L. Asa
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Correspondence to Omar Serri.

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Serri, O., Berthelet, F., Bélair, M. et al. An unusual association of a sellar gangliocytoma with a prolactinoma. Pituitary 11, 85–87 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-007-0022-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-007-0022-1

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