News

ENEA 2010: Plenary Session 1: Epidemiology of endocrine tumours

23 Sep 2010

Niki Karavitaki, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, UK

A cross-sectional European study has demonstrated a higher prevalence of pituitary adenomas that previous thought. It was found that there were up to 94 cases/100,000 population. Among these, prolactinomas were the most common, followed by non functioning pituitary adenomas. The incidence of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) has increased in the last 30 years, which may be partly due to increased awareness and advances in diagnostic technologies. Continual updating of the epidemiology of NETs will improve understanding of this disease, it's causal factors, response to treatment and resistance profile, enabling the advancement of its diagnosis and treatment.