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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
[Metastatic Pituitary Disorders]
Pituitary metastases are rare, often presenting with diabetes insipidus. While surgery and radiotherapy manage symptoms, they do not extend survival in patients with metastatic pituitary disease.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Pituitary metastases are uncommon, occurring in 1% of sellar tumor surgeries.
- Diabetes insipidus is a frequent initial symptom, distinguishing them from pituitary adenomas.
Observation:
- A review of 131 publications identified 259 patients with pituitary metastases.
- Breast and lung carcinomas were the most common primary cancers.
- Common symptoms included visual disturbances, diabetes insipidus, and hypopituitarism.
Findings:
- Radiotherapy (67.8%) and surgery (63.9%) were the primary treatments.
- Average survival was 11.8 months post-metastatic diagnosis.
- Combined treatments did not improve survival but enhanced quality of life.
Implications:
- Early recognition of pituitary metastases is crucial for symptom management.
- Palliative treatments focus on improving quality of life in advanced cancer patients.
- Further research may explore novel therapeutic strategies for pituitary metastases.
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