title: Craniopharyngioma therapy: long-term effects on hypothalamic function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Craniopharyngiomas are the most common intracranial tumor of extraneural origin in childhood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this review, we discuss the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of craniopharyngioma. As the survival prognosis of patients with craniopharyngioma is quite optimistic, long-term side effects of both the tumor and its treatment are now better appreciated. Aside from well-recognized hormonal deficiencies and visual deficits related to tumor location, patients are now acknowledged to experience pathologic obesity and deficits of higher cortical function, memory, and behavior. The combination of these deficits can have profoundly detrimental effects on quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Careful attention to issues related to hormonal balance, visual field defects, cognitive function, and mood disorders is essential to optimize long-term outcome of patients with craniopharyngioma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Ullrich
authors.forename: R Michael
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Scott L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pomeroy
mesh_terms: D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors