Pathogenesis of pituitary tumors.

This article focuses on the molecular events associated with pituitary tumorigenesis. An accurate description of the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas will have an important impact on clinical practice: identification of specific molecular markers of tumor invasiveness and recurrence will allow earlier therapeutic intervention and selection of appropriate follow-up protocols; family screening may become practically feasible; and potent subcellular therapies may be developed for patients with nonfunctioning tumors, in whom nonsurgical therapies are ineffective, and for those with resistant hormone-secreting tumors.