As an American, you have a right to good health care that is effective, accessible, and affordable, that serves you from infancy through old age, that allows you to go to practitioners and facilities of your choosing, and that offers a broad range of therapeutic options.
-Andrew Weil
PNA Spotlight: Dr. John Boockvar
In June the PNA Spotlight focuses on Dr. John Boockvar, a neurosurgeon in New York City. Dr. Boockvar has many titles; among them, vice chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Brain Tumor and Pituitary/Neuroendocrine Center at Lenox Hill Hospital; investigator in the Laboratory for Brain Tumor Biology at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research; and professor of Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and is head of experimental therapeutics for Northwell Health. Dr. Boockvar received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and and MD from SUNY Brooklyn-Downstate Medical Center. He did his surgical internship and neurosurgical residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Boockvar did his NIH-supported postdoctoral research training in neuro-oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. He was kind enough to answer a series of questions from the PNA. His answers follow:
PNA Medical Corner: PitNETs
This month the PNA Medical Corner showcases a study co-authored by longtime PNA member Dr. Sylvia Asa on PitNets that co-express PIT1 and SF1. These types of tumors that express both are rare. Read more here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37268858/
Abstract
PitNETs are usually restricted in their cytodifferentiation to only one of 3 lineages dictated by expression of the pituitary transcription factors (TFs) PIT1, TPIT, or SF1. Tumors that show lineage infidelity and express multiple TFs are rare. We searched the pathology files of 4 institutions for PitNETs with coexpression of PIT1 and SF1. We identified 38 tumors in 21 women and 17 men, average age 53 (range 21-79) years. They represented 1.3 to 2.5% of PitNETs at each center. Acromegaly was the presentation in 26 patients; 2 had central hyperthyroidism associated with growth hormone (GH) excess and one had significantly elevated prolactin (PRL). The remainder had mass lesions with visual deficits, hypopituitarism, and/or headaches. Tumor size ranged from 0.9 to 5 cm; all 7 lesions smaller than 1 cm were associated with acromegaly. Larger lesions frequently invaded the cavernous sinuses.
Featured News and Updates
News Articles December 2025
Pituitary story: Long road to diagnosis
A retired Methodist minister from Raleigh, North Carolina named Lib Campbell tells her pituitary story in an article on DailyAdvance.com. She struggled for many years before being diagnosed with a lesion on her pituitary. Read more: https://www.dailyadvance.com/opinion/editorial_columnists/lib-campbell-everyone-is-deserving-of-affordable-health-care-insurance/article_d8ba7dd4-0d19-5eff-80d6-97fa1b598855.html
Pituitary case study: Early signs of acromegaly
Cureus.com features a case study on a 35-year-old man who went to the emergency room for dizzy spells. He also suffered from night sweats, his face was changing progressively, he snored and stopped breathing while resting. Tests showed a pituitary tumor; doctors diagnosed him with acromegaly. Read more:
Pituitary story: Soccer teammates come to the aid of 12-year-old pituitary patient
An article in the Connaught Tribune follows the story of a young girls’ soccer team in Ireland that is raising money toward medical care for two of the young teammates. A 12-year-old girl named Aoife is battling a pituitary tumor, and her friend, 13-year-old Emma has been diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Read more: https://connachttribune.ie/football-community-unites-behind-young-team-mates-both-battling-serious-illness/
Study examines role of age, gender, and stress in pituitary lobe volume
A study featured in Nature.com looks at the way the posterior and anterior lobes of the pituitary change over time and show differences according to gender and stress level. Results show that older adults had a smaller anterior lobe and a larger posterior lobe. They also showed less stress. Women generally have a larger anterior lobe than men. Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-26558-0
Research explores autism in children whose mothers suffer thyroid imbalance in pregnancy
An article in Science Daily looks at an Israeli study that found that mothers who experience thyroid hormone imbalance in pregnancy and go untreated have a higher risk of bearing children with autism. They recommend thyroid checks in pregnancy, as the risk decreases when the thyroid issue is treated. Read more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251129053353.htm
Research Articles
Research Articles December 2025
Mapping the evolution of pediatric craniopharyngioma research: a bibliometric analysis.
Frome S, Dastagirzada Y, Kurland D, Wisoff J.Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Nov 29;41(1):389. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-07050-6.
The interdisciplinary management of craniopharyngioma – practice patterns, outcomes, and insights.
Haselmann J, Roohani S, Wasilewski D, Onken J, Capper D, Kaul D, Ehret F.BMC Cancer. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1186/s12885-025-14991-3. Online ahead of print.
Pituitary Surgery
Training in endoscopic endonasal surgery: EANS young neurosurgeons committee survey.
Zoli M, Aldea C, Bauer M, Belo D, Drosos E, Jadoon S, Kaprovoy S, Lepic M, Lippa L, Mohme M, Motov S, Spiriev T, Stastna D, Stengel FC, Raffa G.Neurosurg Rev. 2025 Nov 28;49(1):31. doi: 10.1007/s10143-025-03962-8.
Joustra GE, van Rhee NF, den Heijer MC, Korsten-Meijer AGW, Feijen RA, Halmos GB, Kuijlen JMA, Vermeulen KM.Head Neck. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1002/hed.70103. Online ahead of print.’
Cushing’s Disease
Hypercoagulability in Cushing’s syndrome: past, present, future.
Akirov A, Fleseriu M.Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Nov 28;70(special 1):e250062. doi: 10.20945/2359-4292-2025-0095.Review.
Editor’s note: Dr Fleseriu is a longtime member of the PNA.
Lyu X, Liu J, Zhang D, Zhang X, Zhu H, Chen S, Lu L, Pan H.BMC Endocr Disord. 2025 Nov 27;25(1):275. doi: 10.1186/s12902-025-02092-y.
Hypophysitis
Primary hypophysitis: Classification review.
Turin CG, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK.J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2025 Nov 29:nlaf135. doi: 10.1093/jnen/nlaf135. Online ahead of print.41317043
Miquel L, Testud B, Albarel F, Appay R, Graillon T, Cuny T, Dufour H, Ebbo M, Brue T, Jarrot PA, Schleinitz N, Castinetti F.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41574-025-01200-1. Online ahead of print.
AI/ Machine Learning
Subba AB, Sunaniya AK, Mukherjee A.IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2025 Nov 27;PP. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2025.3638154. Online ahead of print.
Hormonal health
Differential role of anterior and posterior pituitary lobes in healthy aging and perceived stress.
Doucet GE, Davis M, Mertens AT, Picci G.Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42409. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26558-0.
Li G, Li M, Xie B, Chen J, Li S, Luo S, Mo C.World Neurosurg. 2025 Nov 28:124692. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2025.124692. Online ahead of print.
Large-scale comparison of two immunoassays for adrenocorticotropic hormone in human plasma.
Li Y, Louie JZ, Burgess TE, Bare LA, McPhaul MJ.Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 29. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26501-3. Online ahead of print.
Leibnitz S, Christ-Crain M, Atila C.Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Nov 28;70(special 1):e20250259. doi: 10.20945/2359-4292-2025-0259.Review.
Diagnostic/Research
EndoCompass Project: Research Roadmap for Reproductive and Developmental Endocrinology.
Cools M, Krausz C, Juul A, Macut D, Andersen MS, Andersson AM, Andoniadou CL, Ahmed SF, Bakker J, Bashamboo A, Behre HM, Bonomi M, Busch AS, De Roo C, Dessens A, Fakhar-I-Adil M, Fanelli F, Fisher AD, Flück C, Gambineri A, Giwercman A, Gravholt CH, Hannema S, Heindryckx B, Hiort O, Hornig NC, Howard S, Ibáñez L, Jensen MB, Jørgensen N, Livadas S, Lucas-Herald A, Mastorakos G, Meriggiola MC, Ong K, Palibrk MO, Pignatelli D, Pitteloud N, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Rey R, Robeva R, Pozza C, Schlatt S, Spaggiari G, Tack L, Tena-Sempere M, Tournaye H, T’Sjoen G, Van Mello N, Vena W, Yildiz BO, de Zegher F.Horm Res Paediatr. 2025 Nov 27:1-23. doi: 10.1159/000549203. Online ahead of print.
EndoCompass and Neuroendocrine Tumor Endocrinology.
Castano JP, Dattani MT, Grozinsky-Glasberg S, Karavitaki N, Pavel ME, Andoniadou C, Alexandraki K, Capatina C, Cerbone M, Ferone D, Gan HW, Hofland J, Hofland L, Ibanez-Costa A, Ilie MD, Isidori AM, Korbonits M, Kos-Kudła B, Maghnie M, Mantovani G, Marazuela M, Raverot G, Scarpa A, Schilbach K, Theodoropoulou M, van Santen HM, Zatelli MC.Horm Res Paediatr. 2025 Nov 27:1-16. doi: 10.1159/000549145. Online ahead of print.
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