Non-functioning pituitary carcinoma
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_3F4F0E039D02
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Case report (case report): feedback on an observation with a short commentary.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Non-functioning pituitary carcinoma
Journal
Pituitary
ISSN
1386-341X (Print)
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2004
Volume
7
Number
3
Pages
149-56
Notes
Case Reports
Journal Article
Journal Article
Abstract
Null-cell carcinomas of the pituitary are extremely rare. We describe a 41-year-old woman with a large adenohypophyseal neoplasm presenting as a primary nonfunctioning tumor without pituitary insufficiency. Signs of mass effect with progressive unilateral ocular motility disorders and anterior pituitary failure developed rapidly. Histopathological examination of the trans-sphenoidally removed tumor showed a primary pituitary null cell tumor with high mitotic index. Pituitary carcinoma was suspected because of rapid relapse of ocular motility disorders and of intra-sellar tumor growth after surgery. Radiotherapy of the sellar and parasellar area with a total dose of 59.4 Gy was performed, achieving marked tumor reduction and a significant improvement of ocular motility disorders. However, 6.5 months after presentation the patient rapidly declined and died of carcinomatous meningitis.Less than 100 pituitary carcinomas have been published so far, most of them as single-case reports, and endocrine, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural data have not been described in the majority of cases. At presentation, there are no specific symptoms that allow to distinguish benign from malignant tumor. Prognosis is poor, since no curative treatment has been established, but aggressive surgery and radiotherapy has been recommended. Our case highlights the poor prognosis of nonfunctioning pituitary carcinomas.
Keywords
Adult
Combined Modality Therapy
Fatal Outcome
Female
Humans
Hypopituitarism/*diagnosis/physiopathology
Immunohistochemistry
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meningitis/etiology
Ocular Motility Disorders/physiopathology
Pituitary Gland, Anterior/chemistry/pathology/radiation effects
Pituitary Hormones, Anterior/analysis
Pituitary Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/physiopathology/therapy
Radiotherapy
Pubmed
Create date
28/01/2008 12:37
Last modification date
20/08/2019 13:36