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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
07:43
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Atypical pituitary adenoma with malignant features
Adam N Mamelak1, John D Carmichael, Patricia Park
1Department of Neurosurgery, Pituitary Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA. mamelaka@cshs.org
Pituitary
|October 25, 2008
Summary
Pituitary tumors can exhibit malignant features without metastasis, challenging current classifications. This case highlights a rare pituitary adenoma with aggressive histology but no spread, expanding the understanding of pituitary tumor pathology.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Pituitary carcinoma diagnosis relies on metastasis, not histology.
- Atypical pituitary adenomas show malignant growth despite bland histology.
Observation:
- A 67-year-old male presented with a giant pituitary tumor.
- The tumor displayed overt malignant pathologic and phenotypic features.
- It evolved from a previously treated benign pituitary adenoma.
Findings:
- The pituitary tumor showed malignant histology but lacked metastases.
- This case does not meet the criteria for pituitary carcinoma.
- It represents a unique presentation within the pituitary tumor spectrum.
Implications:
- This case expands the pathological classification of pituitary tumors.
- It underscores the complexity of differentiating aggressive adenomas from carcinomas.
- Further research is needed to understand the behavior of such tumors.
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