Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8457541 | Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska | 2016 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Metastatic tumours to the pituitary gland are rare. The most frequent are metastases from breast and lung. We describe three patients with metastatic tumours: (I) a 54-year-old patient with metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma and consequent disturbances in visual acuity, cranial nerve paresis and panhypopituitarism, (II) a 60-year-old patient with a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus and (III) a 57-year-old patient with metastasis of breast cancer and panhypopituitarism, visual impairment and cranial nerve paresis. A transnasal endoscopic biopsy and resection of the tumour was performed in all patients, followed by the oncological treatment. Despite the rarity of the disease, it is important to suspect a metastatic pituitary tumour especially in the case of diabetes insipidus, ophthalmoplegia, rapid course of the disease and headaches. In 20-30% of patients, a metastasis to the pituitary is the first manifestation of a tumour of unknown origin. Surgical and adjuvant therapy may improve the quality of life. The survival is not affected, however, and the prognosis of the disease is usually poor.
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Cancer Research
Authors
Janez Ravnik, Tomaz Smigoc, Gorazd Bunc, Bostjan Lanisnik, Ursa Ksela, Maja Ravnik, Tomaz Velnar,