We divided the patients into three treatment groups: 1)
biochemical control by surgery, 2) biochemical control by
surgery and radiotherapy, and 3) biochemical control by
primary or secondary medical treatment. Patients who received postoperative radiotherapy perceived more negative
consequences (P 0.037) and had a worse personal
understanding (P 0.041) compared with patients who
had been cured by surgery alone. Additionally, patients
with and without hypopituitarism were compared. Patients
who were treated for some degree of pituitary insufficiency
perceived less treatment control than patients
who were free of pituitary insufficiency (P 0.034).
In a linear regression model, duration of follow-up was
associated with perceived treatment control (0.252;
P0.026) and personal understanding of the disease (
0.279; P 0.013).