How long does it take for patients with pituitary tumors to take cabergoline to see obvious effects?

Cabergoline (Cabergoline) is an oral dopamine receptor agonist, mainly used to treat prolactin (PRL)-secreting pituitary tumors. It inhibits the synthesis and secretion of pituitary prolactin by activating dopamine D2 receptors, thereby reducing serum prolactin levels and promoting tumor shrinkage. After patients with pituitary tumors take cabergoline, the onset time of the therapeutic effect is closely related to prolactin levels, tumor size and individual patient differences.

Generally, a significant decrease in serum prolactin levels is observed within a few weeks of starting treatment. Serum prolactin in most patients drops significantly within 2-4 weeks, which helps improve symptoms caused by high prolactin, such as amenorrhea, infertility, galactorrhea or sexual dysfunction. Early improvement in blood indicators is an important reference for efficacy and also helps doctors determine whether drug dosage needs to be adjusted.

Tumor shrinkage usually requires longer treatment. Clinical data shows that in some patients, after 3-6 months of continuous treatment, MRI examination showed that the size of the pituitary tumor was significantly reduced. The degree of tumor shrinkage is related to the initial tumor size and initial prolactin level. Small and medium-sized tumors usually shrink faster, while larger or aggressive tumors may require a longer course of treatment to achieve the desired effect. During this period, regular monitoring of serum prolactin and follow-up imaging are important.

In patients taking long-term cabergoline, if it is well tolerated and serum prolactin decreases steadily, the efficacy is usually sustainable. Some patients can even achieve normalization of serum prolactin and maintain tumor shrinkage after 6-12 months. However, the course of treatment still needs to be adjusted individually. Doctors will flexibly adjust the dosage and follow-up intervals based on serum prolactin levels, tumor changes, and adverse reactions to ensure sustained efficacy, significant improvement in symptoms, and reduce the risk of recurrence.

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