True health infuses positive energy in the mind, body and spirit; it is a main focus in my life.

-Maximillian Degenerez

 

PNA Spotlight: Dr. Bernard Bendok

In July, the PNA Spotlight focuses on Dr. Bernard Bendok, a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Bendok earned his M.D. at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. He also was an intern and a Resident there.  He board certified in Neurological Surgery and specialized in minimally invasive neurosurgery.  His PNA directory listing is here.  He was kind enough to answer a series of questions from the PNA. His answers follow:

Read more

PNA Medical Corner: The Endoscopic Endonasal Transtuberculum Approach

This month the PNA Medical Corner features an article co-authored by Juan C Fernandez-Miranda at Stanford University, a member of the PNA. The article looks at what is necessary for a successful resection of a pediatric tuberoinfundibular craniopharyngioma using the endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum approach.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37350589/

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Featured News and Updates

News Articles February 2026

Omics data on pituitary tumors catalogued

A recent study reviewed scientific studies on omics data generated in pituitary tumors.  The data has been catalogued to make future research projects easier. Read more: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114907

 

Pituitary cells and intracranial germ cell tumors

A new study looks at role of pituitary cells in the genesis of intracranial germ cell tumors, given that primordial germ cell-like cells reside in the pituitary. The authors call for more study. Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-38060-2

 

Benefits of surgery for adrenal Cushing’s

An study in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology finds that surgery is more effective at controlling cortisol in patients with adrenal Cushing’s disease compared to a conservative management approach. Read the article in Cushing’s Disease News: https://cushingsdiseasenews.com/news/surgery-offers-best-cortisol-control-adrenal-cushings-syndrome/

 

Doctors say online influencers spread fear about cortisol

An article in the Associated Press looks at a trend online where influencers focus on the stress hormone cortisol. Some may raise people’s anxiety levels and push them to get unnecessary tests. Read more: https://apnews.com/article/cortisol-supplement-endocrinology-cushing-stress-0f6f6b8df2d11e2560d4e7562f522998

The FDA has approved NGENLA (somatrogon-ghla)

The FDA has approved NGENLA (somatrogon-ghla), a once-weekly, human growth hormone analog indicated for treatment of pediatric patients aged three years and older who have growth failure due to an inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone.

See the Press Release here>

Research Articles

Research Articles February 2026

Pituitary tumors
Preoperative Metabolic Predictors of Granulation Subtypes in Somatotroph Tumors: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Chen L, Wang J, Zeng A, Akter F, Wang S, Liu S, Hu W, Yao S, Margetis K, Wang Z, Liu H, Wang X.CNS Neurosci Ther. 2026 Feb;32(2):e70774. doi: 10.1002/cns.70774.

 

Radiotherapy regimens and concurrent Cabergoline use for non-functioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: a large, single-center cohort.

Mauro GP, Rebello LG, Da Róz LM, Gico VC, Weltman E, de Souza EC, Batista RL, da Cunha Neto MBC, Villar RC.Endocrine. 2026 Feb 3;91(1):60. doi: 10.1007/s12020-025-04473-8.

 

Pediatric craniopharyngioma: when hypoglycemia reveals a brain tumor. Illustrative case.

Hmamouche OM, Hammoud M, Lakhdar F, Benzagmout M, Chakour K, Chaoui El Faiz M.J Neurosurg Case Lessons. 2026 Feb 2;11(5):CASE25727. doi: 10.3171/CASE25727. Print 2026 Feb 2.

 

Incidental 18F-Flortaucipir Uptake in Pituitary Macroadenoma.

Xiong M, Liu Y, Luo X, Jiang SN.Clin Nucl Med. 2026 Jan 22. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000006313. Online ahead of print.

 

Exploring the Genetic Correlation Between Pituitary Adenomas and Psychiatric Disorders: Insights From Genome-Wide Association Studies.

Yang Z, Maimaiti A, Wu J, Zhou Z, Ding C, Sun H, Li S.J Craniofac Surg. 2026 Feb 2. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000012474. Online ahead of print.

 

A Case Report of Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma Complicated by Apoplexy With Atypical Clinical Presentation.

Hariri BA, Faizan M, Balintona R Jr, Elhassan MOE, Salameh S, Mohammad IH, Qasem AM.Case Rep Med. 2026 Jan 30;2026:4124145. doi: 10.1155/carm/4124145. eCollection 2026.

 

Lugol’s solution for preoperative management of a TSH/GH-secreting pituitary adenoma with suboptimal response to octreotide: a case report.

Peng G, Lei X, Leng W, Wu F, Xie L, Long M, Chen L.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2026 Jan 15;16:1698948. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1698948. eCollection 2025.

 

Optical coherence tomography in preoperative workup and visual outcome of pituitary macroadenomas.

Dal Fabbro M, Moura FC, Atihe C, Sampaio MH, Garmes HM.Surg Neurol Int. 2025 Dec 19;16:533. doi: 10.25259/SNI_908_2025. eCollection 2025.

 

Mixed gangliocytoma-pituitary neuroendocrine tumour: clinical, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic profiles in a series of four patients.

Dalakas K, Engström BE, Tebani A, Bontell TO, Larsson A, Nord H, Lindskog C, Pontén F, Boldt HB, Ragnarsson O, Casar-Borota O.Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2026 Jan 30. doi: 10.1186/s40478-026-02225-x. Online ahead of print.


Exploring the Dynamic Interaction Between Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (Pit-NETs) Cells and Their Angiogenic Microenvironment by Using the MIB1 Labeling Index, VEGF Expression and Digital Image Analysis.

Cozma M, Cimpean AM, Parnov M, Corlan AS, Stratulat S, Fala P, Melnic E.Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025 Dec 25;48(1):27. doi: 10.3390/cimb48010027.

 

Pediatric and Adult Craniopharyngioma: A 37-Year Experience at a National Referral Center.

Hernández MI, Ibeas C, Fernández JP, Ivanovic-Zuvic D, Gómez M, Gutiérrez D, Valenzuela S, Okuma C.Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2026 Jan 30. doi: 10.1111/cen.70103. Online ahead of print.

 

Oxidative Phosphorylation in Silent Pituitary Adenomas: A Multiomics Perspective.

Chen Y, Zhao Q, Wang X, Wang X, Guo Y.Int J Endocrinol. 2026 Jan 28;2026:8488950. doi: 10.1155/ije/8488950. eCollection 2026.


A novel germline CDH23 variant as a likely cause of an ultra-giant prolactinoma.

Albasri E, Alghamdi B, Murugan AK, Othman E, Alotaibi S, Dababo MA, Alfares A, Alzahrani AS.Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2026 Jan 29;21(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s13023-025-04161-w.

 

Pituitary Surgery

Endoscopic Endonasal Approach With Extradural Posterior Clinoidectomy and Upper Clivectomy for Retrochiasmatic Craniopharyngiomas.

Morisako H, Nagahama A, Ikegami M, Sasaki T, Kulkarni AV, Hazunga R, Ichinose T, Teranishi Y, Goto T.Oper Neurosurg. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000001905. Online ahead of print.

 

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous versus trans-nasal pterygopalatine fossa block in endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary gland surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Saad DH, Ahmed AMM, ElKholy WM, Bakr MM.BMC Anesthesiol. 2026 Feb 2. doi: 10.1186/s12871-026-03618-0. Online ahead of print.

 

Cushing’s Disease
New Sparks and Spots: Molecular Imaging with Positron Emission Tomography Will Change Management of Cushing’s Disease.

Reincke M, Apaydin T, Kakashvili M, Albert NL, Thorsteinsdottir J, Schweizer JROL, Theodoropoulou M, Schilbach K, Völter F.Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.3803/EnM.2025.2728. Online ahead of print.

 

Recurrent Pituitary Adenoma Causing Cushing’s Disease in a Patient With Lynch Syndrome.

Bares V, Netuka D.Cureus. 2026 Jan 27;18(1):e102414. doi: 10.7759/cureus.102414. eCollection 2026 Jan.


Psychological Recovery after treatment of Cushing syndrome.

Pereira AM, Stenvers DJ.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2026 Jan 28:dgag034. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgag034. Online ahead of print.

 

Radiation Therapy

Low Incidence of New-Onset Hypopituitarism After High-Precision Stereotactic Radiation Therapy of Sellar and Perisellar Lesions.

Heer A, Schneider M, Boström JP, Pinkawa M, Kovács A, Weller J, Bischoff J, Fries CM, Boström A, Fenske WK.Adv Radiat Oncol. 2025 Oct 31;11(3):101933. doi: 10.1016/j.adro.2025.101933. eCollection 2026 Mar.

 

Hormonal Health
Neurologic Complications of Endocrine Disorders.

Mustafa R.Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2026 Feb;32(1):105-130. doi: 10.1212/cont.0000000000001658. Epub 2026 Feb 3.


PPP1R12A Mutation Presenting With Congenital Jejunal Atresia and Short Stature: A Pediatric Endocrinology Case Report.

Saul R, David M, Frasch J, Sanchez-Lara PA, Schweiger BM.Case Rep Pediatr. 2026 Jan 28;2026:2247764. doi: 10.1155/crpe/2247764. eCollection 2026.


Identification of a novel KISS1R (GPR54) gene variant (c.505+2T>G) in a patient with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: A case report and literature review.

Menekse B, Ucgul E, Bakir A, Hepsen S, Ozturk Unsal I, Kizilgul M, Araki T, Cakal E.Exp Ther Med. 2026 Jan 16;31(3):71. doi: 10.3892/etm.2026.13066. eCollection 2026 Mar.


Oxytocin Deficiency in Childhood and Adolescence: Clinical Features, Diagnostic Challenges and Therapeutic Perspectives.

Paparella R, Bei A, Bernabei I, Fiorentini C, Iafrate N, Lucibello R, Marchetti L, Pastore F, Maglione V, Niceta M, Fiore M, Caronti B, Vitali M, Pucarelli I, Tarani L.Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025 Nov 25;47(12):982. doi: 10.3390/cimb47120982.

 

Isolated Menarche and Empty Sella Turca: A Rare Pediatric Case.

Vieira M, Azevedo IA, Rangel MA, Campos RA, Leite AL.Cureus. 2025 Dec 28;17(12):e100275. doi: 10.7759/cureus.100275. eCollection 2025 Dec.

 

 

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