Sellar and perisellar meningiomas: effects on pituitary function in a Spanish cohort observational study

Studies focused on the effects of sellar and/or perisellar (S/PS) meningiomas on pituitary function are scarce. The primary objective of the present study was to determinate the effects that S/PS meningiomas and their treatments have on pituitary function. Also, we described the clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of the cohort of adult Spanish patients.

A multicenter and retrospective study of patients with S/PS meningiomas attended in 20 tertiary Spanish centers.

165 patients, 123 (74.5%) females, with median age of 61.4 [51-71] years were analyzed. At presentation, 115 (69.7%) had visual disturbance, 62 (37.6%) headache, 46 (27.9%) cranial nerve palsy and 34 (26.2%) hypopituitarism. Median tumor diameter was 29.1 [22-35.5] mm and cavernous sinus infiltration was detected in 95 (59%). As initial treatment, 128 (77.6%) underwent surgery, 25 (15.2%) received radiotherapy and 12 (7.3%) were clinically and radiologically monitored. Among operated patients, gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 44 (34.4%), whereas in 84 (65.6%) the tumor was incompletely removed. Overall median follow-up was 5.7 [2.9-9.2] years. After treatments, hypopituitarism was present in 86 (53.4%) patients at the last evaluation, and it was associated with surgery extension (subtotal or GTR) but not with tumor subtype, type of radiotherapy or radiation dose received.

S/PS meningiomas affect the pituitary function in 25% of the cases. However, after the implementation of treatments, hypopituitarism prevails in more than 50% of the cases. They are relatively large tumors and GTR is achieved in one third of the cases in whom hypopituitarism is more prevalent.