Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Craniopharyngioma: A clinicopathological study of 141 cases

  • Clinical Research
  • Published:
Endocrine Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Craniopharyngioma is a tumor of the suprasellar region that histologically has two distinct variants with some differences in clinical behavior. The papillary type is almost always seen in adults and has a more indolent course compared with the adamantinomatous type, which is more common in childhood. In the present study, surgical specimens of craniopharyngiomas from 141 patients were reviewed. Their histomorphologic types were determined and the clinical features and prognosis of each group were assessed. The sizes of papillary type tumors were smaller and during the follow-up period there was no recurrence in the squamous papillary group. Aside from surgical resection (total vs subtotal), the recurrence rate for papillary type craniopharyngioma was lower than for adamantinomatous type. Histologic typing of craniopharyngioma especially in adults is useful for decision making with regard to treatment and follow-up.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Samii M, Tatagiba M. Craniopharyngioma. in: Kaye AH, Laws ER, eds. Brain tumors. 2nd ed. London: Churchill-Livingstone, 2001; 945–963.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Thapar K. Neoplasms of the sellar region. In: Bigner DD, ed. Russell and Rubinstein’s pathology of tumors of the nervous system. 6th ed. London: Arnold, 1998; 561–664.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Carmel PW. Brain tumors of disordered embryogenesis. In: Youmans JR, ed. Youmans neurological surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1996; 2761–2771.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Sanford RA, Einhaus SL. Craniopharyngioma. In: Mclone DG, ed. Pediatric neurosurgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2001; 697–698.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Paulus W, Stockel C, Krauss J, Sorensen N, Roggendorf W. Odontogenic classification of craniopharyngiomas: a clinicopathological study of 54 cases. Histopathology 30:172–176, 1997.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kahn EA, Gosch HH, Seeger JF, Hicks SP. Forty-five years experience with the craniopharyngiomas. Surg Neurol 1:5–12, 1973.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Adamson TE, Wiestler OD, Kleihues P, Yasargil MG. Correlation of clinical and pathological features in surgically treated craniopharyngiomas. J Neurosurg 73:12–17, 1990.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Crotty TB, Scheithauer BW, Young WF, et al. Papillary craniopharyngioma: a clinicopathological study of 48 cases. J Neurosurg 83:206–214, 1995.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Szeifert GT, Sipos L, Horvath M, et al. Pathological characteristics of surgically removed craniopharyngiomas: analysis of 131 cases. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 124:139–143, 1993.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Giangaspero F, Burger PC, Osborne DR, Stein RB. Suprasellar papillary squamous epithelioma (“papillary craniopharyngioma”). Am J Surg Pathol 8:57–64, 1984.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hapar K, Stefaneanu L, Kovacs K, et al. Estrogen receptor gene expression in Craniopharyngiomas: an in situ hybridization study. Neurosurgery 35:1012–1017, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang YQ, Wang CC, Ma ZY. Pediatric craniopharyngiomas: clinicopathological study of 189 cases. Pediatr Neurosurg 36:80–84, 2002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Uematsu Y, Tanaka Y, Matsumoto H, Funahashi K, Itakura T, Komai N. Histological analysis of craniopharyngiomas—with special reference to their histological origin and differentiation. No To Shinkei 46:271–276, 1994.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Thapar K, Stefaneanu L, Kovacs K, et al. Estrogen receptor gene expression in craniopharyngiomas: an in situ hybridization study. Neurosurgery 35:1012–1017, 1994.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hoff JT, Patterson RH. Craniopharyngiomas in children and adults. J Neurosurg 36:299–302, 1972.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Shapiro K, Till K, Grant DN. Craniopharyngiomas in childhood. A rational approach to treatment. J Neurosurg 50:617–623, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sorva R, Heiskanen O. Craniopharyngioma in Finland. A study of 123 cases. Acta Neurochir 81:85–89, 1986.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Weiner HL, Wisoff JH, Rosenberg ME, et al. Craniopharyngiomas: a clinicopathological analysis of factors predictive of recurrence and functional outcome. Neurosurgery 35:1001–1010; discussion 1010–1011, 1994.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Miller DC. Pathology of craniopharyngiomas: clinical import of pathological findings. Pediatr Neurosurg; 21(Suppl 1):11–17, 1994.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Doctor Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

    Seyed Mohammad Tavangar MD & Ali Mahta MD

  2. Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

    Bagher Larijani MD & Fatemeh Bandarian MD

  3. Department of Neurosurgery Doctor Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

    Seyed Mehdi Abdolahzadeh Hosseini MD & Masoud Mehrazine MD

Authors
  1. Seyed Mohammad Tavangar MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bagher Larijani MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ali Mahta MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Seyed Mehdi Abdolahzadeh Hosseini MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Masoud Mehrazine MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fatemeh Bandarian MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seyed Mohammad Tavangar MD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tavangar, S.M., Larijani, B., Mahta, A. et al. Craniopharyngioma: A clinicopathological study of 141 cases. Endocr Pathol 15, 339–344 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1385/EP:15:4:339

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/EP:15:4:339

Key Words

Search

Navigation