Study of How Estrogen Levels Before Diagnosis Affect the Size of Prolactin-Secreting Pituitary Tumors in Women

What this Trial Is About

Prolactinomas are the most common type of pituitary tumors, affecting about 50 people per 100,000. They may cause symptoms due to hormone overproduction, like galactorrhea and infertility, or from tumor size pressing on nearby areas, causing headaches and vision problems. This research is comparing women with larger prolactin-secreting tumors macroadenomas to those with smaller ones microadenomas to understand if estrogen exposure before diagnosis influences tumor size. The study involves two groups of women diagnosed between 2013 and 2023 with either macroprolactinomas or microprolactinomas, all followed at a hospital in Lyon. Participants will complete a detailed questionnaire about their hormone and reproductive history, either by phone or mail, to collect information on estrogen exposure and other factors potentially related to tumor development. Participants will provide data mainly through questionnaires, with medical records reviewed as needed. Researchers will assess exposures such as hormonal contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapy, age at menarche and menopause, pregnancies, and breastfeeding duration. The main outcomes focus on comparing these estrogen-related factors between the two tumor size groups. This observational study will help clarify links between estrogen exposure and prolactinoma size.

How Estrogen Fluctuations Before Diagnosis Affect the Size Prolactin-secreting Tumors