Polyamine levels in CSF from patients with pituitary tumors or nonneoplastic pituitary disease.

Cerebrospinal fluid polyamine determinations were performed in 21 patients harboring pituitary tumors and six patients with nonneoplastic pituitary disease. Although CSF putrescine levels were significantly elevated in some patients harboring tumors, other patients showed no elevation. Polyamine levels did not correlate with tumor size, as assessed by the presence or absence of suprasellar extension. Data on patients harboring nonneoplastic pituitary disease were variable. Compared with other findings from this laboratory on the use of polyamine levels for the diagnosis and management of other brain tumors, these findings suggest that CSF polyamine levels will not have a significant diagnostic role in the treatment of patients suspected to have pituitary disease.