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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Extremely late development of pituitary carcinoma after surgery and radiotherapy
Eberval Gadelha Figueiredo1, Wellingson Silva Paiva, Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira
1Division of Neurological Surgery, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Rua Oscar Freire, 1456, Apt 34, Cep 05409-010, São Paulo, Brazil. ebgadelha@yahoo.com
Introduction:
Pituitary carcinomas account for 0.1 or 0.2% of pituitary tumors. The authors report a rare case of a pituitary carcinoma mimicking a radio-induced meningioma.
Case Report:
Fifty-five years-old male presents a previous history of transcranial surgery in 1983 for invasive pituitary adenoma followed by whole-brain radiotherapy (5100 cGy). After three years he presented worsening of visual deficits and MRI evidenced recurrence of the lesion. In 1992, he underwent a transcranial approach to treat recurrent supraselar disease, followed by stereoctatic radiotherapy. In 2006, clinical condition was stable; however three right frontal extra-axial lesions were diagnosed by MRI, compatible with meningioma. The histological examination revealed pituitary adenoma. No lesions were found in craniospinal axis. Further treatment was not recommended by radiotherapists due previous actinic treatments. Two years radiological follow-up revealed no recurrence.
Conclusion:
In these high risk cases, active and constant surveillance must be pertained, regardless the time of follow-up.