Non-functioning pituitary macro-incidentalomas benefit from early surgery before becoming symptomatic

Abstract Objective Pituitary incidentalomas (PIs) constitute an increasingly clinical problem. While the therapeutic management is well defined for symptomatic non-functioning PIs (NFPIs), a controversy still exists for asymptomatic macro-NFPIs between surgery and a “wait and see” approach. The aim of this study is to compare surgical results between symptomatic and asymptomatic macro-NFPIs. Methods We conducted a retrospective study on 76 patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic and asymptomatic macro-NFPIs operated on between 2001 and 2010. We compared age, tumor size and surgical results between these two patient groups. Results After the initial evaluation, 48 patients were found to be symptomatic. Gross total removal (GTR) rate was significantly higher in asymptomatic (82%) than in symptomatic patients (58%; p  = 0.03). Gross total removal was strongly associated with Knosp's classification ( p  = 0.01). Postoperative endocrinological impairment was significantly associated with the existence of preoperative symptoms ( p  = 0.03). It was 10 times less frequent in the asymptomatic group. In symptomatic patients, postoperative visual and endocrinological impairment were present in 49% and 78% versus 0% and 14% in asymptomatic patients respectively. Conclusions The endocrinological and visual outcome was better in those patients who underwent surgery for asymptomatic tumors. The extent of tumor resection was also significantly greater in smaller tumors. It would therefore be appropriate to offer surgery to patients with asymptomatic macro-NFPIs.