MARATTO

article · International Journal of Surgery Case Reports

Non-functioning pituitary carcinoma

2023Open accessMohamed I University

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Non-functional pituitary carcinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. It is characterized by the presence of cerebrospinal or distant metastasis of an adenohypophysis tumor without any hypersecretion. Only a few cases of non-functional pituitary carcinomas have been reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: In this paper, we report the case of a 48-year-old female patient who presented with spinal pain and a mass facing the second thoracic vertebrae. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the presence of pituitary and bilateral adrenal incidentalomas. The patient was operated and the histopathological examination of the specimen revealed a non-functional pituitary carcinoma variety "Null Cell". DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: There are no clinical, biological, or radiological characteristics that reliably differentiate between non-functional pituitary adenoma and non-functional pituitary carcinoma. Management remains a challenge for clinicians and neurosurgeons. A combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy seems necessary to achieve tumor control.

Research topics

  • Pituitary Gland Disorders and Treatments
  • Adrenal and Paraganglionic Tumors
  • Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalus

Sustainable Development Goals

Read the original research

This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108376

Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.

Discussion

Discuss this research

Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.

No discussion yet. Open the first thread.