Clinical Description
AIP familial isolated pituitary adenoma (AIP-FIPA) is characterized by an increased risk of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), including growth hormone (GH)-secreting PitNETs (somatotropinomas), prolactin-secreting PitNETs (prolactinomas), GH and prolactin cosecreting PitNETs (somatomammotropinomas), and nonfunctioning PitNETs (NF-PitNETs). Rarely, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-secreting adenomas (thyrotropinomas) are observed. To date, more than 300 individuals with a germline pathogenic variant in AIP have been reported in research articles, and there are more than 60 entries from molecular diagnostic laboratories included in ClinVar [Beckers et al 2013, Landrum et al 2014, Marques et al 2020]. The following description of the phenotypic features associated with this condition is based on these reports.
Table 2.
Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors in Individuals with AIP Familial Isolated Pituitary Adenoma
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Type of PitNET | % of Persons w/Type of PitNET |
---|
Somatotropinoma (GH secreting) | ~51% |
Prolactinoma (prolactin secreting) | 10% |
Somatomammotropinoma (GH & prolactin secreting) | ~31% |
Nonfunctioning PitNET | 8% |
Thyrotropinoma (TSH secreting) | Rare |
GH = growth hormone; PitNET = pituitary neuroendocrine tumor; TSH = thyroid-stimulating hormone
Onset. The median age of diagnosis of AIP familial isolated pituitary adenoma (AIP-FIPA) is 23 years [Hernández-Ramírez et al 2015]. The earliest age of diagnosis of a pituitary tumor in a person with an AIP pathogenic variant is four years [Dutta et al 2019].
Somatotropinoma (GH-secreting PitNET)
Prolactinomas. Approximately 10% of persons with AIP pathogenic variants have a prolactinoma [Marques et al 2020]. Prolactinomas result in manifestations of prolactin excess (e.g., amenorrhea, sexual problems, galactorrhea, and infertility) and can also cause mass effects (e.g., visual field defects and headaches).
AIP-related prolactinomas exhibit male predominance, younger age at onset, increased invasiveness, and larger diameter compared with unselected tumors. Around 60% of these tumors respond adequately to standard medical treatment [Carty et al 2021, Vroonen et al 2023]. One family has been described with all affected family members having prolactinoma and none having GH-secreting tumors [Carty et al 2021].
Nonfunctioning PitNETs (NF-PitNETs). Clinically NF-PitNETs are seen in 8% of persons with an AIP pathogenic variant [Marques et al 2020].
NF-PitNETs are usually diagnosed due to the local effects of the tumor, such as bitemporal hemianopia or hypogonadism. It is unclear why these silent tumors do not release hormones at a clinically recognizable level; however, there is likely to be a continuum between fully functional and completely silent PitNETs [Drummond et al 2019]. Distinguishing NF-PitNETs from prolactinomas can occasionally be difficult due to the stalk effect (pituitary stalk compression resulting in increased prolactin levels in the absence of a prolactin-secreting PitNET).
In AIP-FIPA, NF-PitNETs that have been resected are often (but not always) silent somatotropinoma or lactotroph PitNETs [Hernández-Ramírez et al 2015]. In families with AIP-FIPA, NF-PitNETs are identified at a younger age than NF-PitNETs in persons without a germline pathogenic variant [Daly et al 2010]. Screening of clinically unaffected AIP heterozygotes can identify small nonfunctioning pituitary lesions, equivalent to incidentalomas in the general population [Marques et al 2020].
Thyrotropinomas (TSH-secreting adenomas causing hyperthyroidism) are rarely seen in AIP-FIPA. A single individual with AIP-FIPA and a thyrotropinoma has been described [Daly et al 2007].
Note regarding corticotropinomas.
AIP defects do not appear to increase the risk of corticotropinoma. One case of a mixed adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- and prolactin-secreting PitNET associated with a germline loss-of-function AIP variant has been reported [Cazabat et al 2012]. Other individuals with corticotropinomas associated with AIP defects reported in the literature had benign or likely benign variants or variants of uncertain significance [Georgitsi et al 2007, Stratakis et al 2010, Beckers et al 2013, Hernández-Ramírez et al 2015, Nguyen et al 2024].
Subfertility is common in persons with pituitary tumors, usually due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism secondary to compromise of normal gonadotrophs, hyperprolactinemia, surgery, or radiotherapy. Although no data are available specifically regarding subfertility in individuals with AIP-FIPA, the risk for this complication is increased in individuals with young-onset PitNETs, particularly prolactinomas [Marques & Boguszewski 2020].
Mass effects. Large pituitary adenomas can be associated with deficiencies of other pituitary hormones that result in subfertility, hypothyroidism, hypoadrenalism, low GH concentration, and panhypopituitarism. Macroadenomas (>10 mm in diameter) may also press on the optic chiasm and optic tracts, causing bitemporal hemianopia. The tumor may invade the adjacent cavernous sinus. Headache can be present in any type of adenoma but is especially common in individuals with acromegaly; the mechanism for the increased frequency is unknown [Melmed 2020].
Larger pituitary tumors may autoinfarct, resulting in pituitary apoplexy (sudden onset of severe headache, visual disturbance, cranial nerve palsies, hypoglycemia, and hypotensive shock). Pituitary apoplexy has been described in individuals with AIP-FIPA and is more common in children with AIP-FIPA [Chahal et al 2011, Xekouki et al 2013, Dutta et al 2019, Marques et al 2020].
Metastatic PitNET. To date, metastatic PitNET has not been described in an individual with AIP-FIPA.
Other, non-pituitary tumors have been observed in some families with AIP-FIPA; however, the background population risk for tumors is fairly high and no consistent pattern has been observed. Therefore, at present there is no conclusive evidence that an AIP germline pathogenic variant increases the risk for any other tumors. Non-pituitary tumors from AIP heterozygotes usually retain heterozygosity at the variant locus, although loss of heterozygosity at the AIP locus has been demonstrated in one individual with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and one with adrenocortical carcinoma [Toledo et al 2010, Hernández-Ramírez et al 2015, Coopmans et al 2020].