Residual Tumor Confers a 10-Fold Increased Risk of Regrowth in Clinically Nonfunctioning Pituitary Tumors

Abstract

Tumor recurrence at 3 years was low (1 of 58; 1.7%) if the 3-month postoperative MRI showed no residual tumor. The findings support a less frequent imaging schedule for this group. Patients with definite residual tumor visible at 3 months harbor the greatest risk for tumor growth, but regrowth does not occur in all patients (6 of 15; 40%).