title: Metastatic carcinoma to the pituitary gland.
abstract: Four patients with metastatic carcinoma to the pituitary gland are presented. Two of these patients had no previous history of malignancy and, based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological evaluation, a preoperative diagnosis of pituitary adenoma was made. In one patient, the histological diagnosis of two consecutive tumour specimens, obtained 1 year apart, was pituitary adenoma. The correct diagnosis of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma was not ascertained until autopsy. In the second patient, a diffusely infiltrating breast carcinoma was diagnosed by mammography and confirmed by biopsy, after pathological examination of the sellar tumour revealed carcinoma. The third patient underwent mastectomy 3 years earlier for breast carcinoma and had known metastatic disease. The fourth patient had known metastatic endometrial carcinoma when she became symptomatic from a pituitary metastasis. The incidence, clinical features, and pathophysiology of metastatic carcinoma to the pituitary gland are discussed.
authors: Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York.
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: McCormick
authors: K D
authors: KD
authors: Post
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Kandji
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Hays
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography