THE PITUITARY, 3RD EDITION

Since the publication of the second edition of The Pituitary, in 2002, there have been major advances in the molecular biology of pituitary hormone production and action and there is now a better understanding of the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors and clinical syndromes resulting in perturbation of pituitary function. There have also been major advances in the clinical management of pituitary disorders. Medical researchers and practitioners now better understand the morbidity and mortality associated with pituitary hormone hyposecretion and hypersecretion. Newly developed drugs, and improved methods of delivering established drugs, are allowing better medical management of acromegaly and prolactinoma. These developments have improved the worldwide consensus of the definition of cure of pituitary disease, especially hormone hypersecretion, and hence will improve the literature documenting the success or lack of success of various forms of therapy.

The third edition will continue to be divided into sections that summarize normal hypothalamic-pituitary development and function, hypothalamic-pituitary failure, and pituitary tumors; additional sections will describe pituitary disease in systemic disorders and diagnostic procedures, including imaging, assessment of the eyes, and biochemical testing.

Feature
- Presents a comprehensive, translational source of information about the pituitary in one reference work.
- Pituitary experts (from all areas of research and practice) take readers from the bench research (cellular and molecular mechanism), through genomic and proteomic analysis, all the way to clinical analysis (histopathology and imaging) and new therapeutic approaches.
- Clear presentation by endocrine researchers of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying pituitary hormones and growth factors as well as new techniques used in detecting lesions (within the organ) and other systemic disorders.
- Clear presentation by endocrinologists and neuroendocrine surgeons of how imaging, assessment of the eyes, and biochemical testing can lead to new therapeutic approaches.

Benefit
- Saves researchers and clinicians time in quickly accessing the very latest details on a broad range of issues related to normal and diseased pituitary function, as opposed to searching through thousands of journal articles.
- Provides a common language for endocrinologists, neurosurgeons, OB/GYNs, and endocrine researchers to discuss how the pituitary gland and hormones affect each major organ system.
- Correct diagnosis (and therefore correct treatment) of pituitary disorders depends on a strong understanding of the pathophysiology of the organ as well as the molecular actions of pituitary hormones – practicing endocrinologists and other interested clinicians will benefit
- Endocrine researchers will gain insight into how clinical observations and practices can feed back into the research cycle and will, therefore, be able to develop more targeted genomic and proteomic assays.

Author
Shlomo Melmed, MD, Professor of Medicine, Senior Vice President and Dean of the Faculty, Cedars Sinai Health System, Los Angeles California.

INDICE:
Section 1 Hypothalamic-Pituitary Function
1. Functional Anatomy of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis
2. Adrenocorticotropin
3. Growth Hormone
4. Prolactin
5. Thyroid-stimulating Hormone
6. Follicle-stimulating Hormone and Leutinizing Hormone
7. The Posterior Pituitary

Section 2 Hypothalamic-Pituitary Dysfunction
8. The Hypothalamus
9. Anterior Pituitary Failure

Sect. 3 Pituitary Tumors
10. Pituitary Surgery
11. Radiation and Non-surgical Management of the Pituitary
12. Acromegaly
13. Prolactinoma
14. Cushing""s Disease
15. Thyrotropin-secreting Pituitary Tumors
16. Gonadotroph Adenomas
17. Other Piuitary Lesions

Section 4 Pituitary Disease in Systemic Disorders
18. Pituitary Function in Systemic Disorders
19. The Pituitary Gland in Pregnancy and the Puerperium
20. Drugs and Pituitary Function

Section 5 Diagnostic Procedures
21. Pituitary Imaging
22. Neuro-ophthalmologic Evaluation of Pituitary Disorders
23. Evaluation of Normal Pituitary Function