Intrasellar pituitary gangliocyto-adenoma presenting with acromegaly: case report.
OBJECTIVE
A gangliocytoma in the sellar region is extremely rare. We describe a rare case of intraseller gangliocytoma coexisting with a growth hormone-producing pituitary adenoma, which presented with acromegaly.


METHODS
A 64-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with headache and acromegaly. Endocrinological studies revealed an elevated serum level of growth hormone (GH). Magnetic resonance imaging showed a tumor at the intrasellar and suprasellar regions. The tumor was totally removed via a transsphenoidal approach.


RESULTS
A histological examination of the resected specimen showed areas of ganglionic cells and adenomatous cells. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated GH-releasing hormone-positive ganglionic cells and GH-positive pituitary adenoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these immunohistochemical findings, we hypothesized that the intrasellar gangliocytoma promoted the growth of the pituitary adenoma, which had been transformed from a region of pituitary hyperplasia by chronic overstimulation from excess GH-releasing hormone produced by the intrasellar gangliocytoma.
Morikawa
M
M
Department of Neurosurgery, Kobe University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Tamaki
N
N
Kokunai
T
T
Imai
Y
Y
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019382:Human Growth Hormone