Abstract
The differential diagnosis of sellar masses may be complex. Metastatic disease constitutes 1% of all pituitary lesions and sometimes mimics the clinical-radiological presentation of pituitary adenoma. The definitive diagnosis usually relies on histology, but occasionally even histological features of pituitary metastasis may resemble those of adenomas. We present a patient initially diagnosed with pituitary adenoma, but whose clinical course finally revealed pituitary metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma. The existing literature on this topic is reviewed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Freda PU, Post KD. Differential diagnosis of sellar masses. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1999, 28: 81–117.
Freda PU, Wardlaw SL, Post KD. Unusual causes of sellar/parasellar masses in a large transsphenoidal surgical series. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996, 81: 3455–9.
Ruelle A, Palladino M, Andrioli GC. Pituitary metastases as presenting lesions of malignancy. J Neurosurg Sci 1992, 36: 51–4.
Nelson PB, Robinson AG, Martinez AJ. Metastatic tumor of the pituitary gland. Neurosurgery 1987, 21: 941–4.
Llovet JM, Brú C, Bruix J. Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: the BCLC staging classification. Semin Liver Dis 1999, 19: 329–38.
Komninos J, Vlassopoulou V, Protopapa D, et al. Tumors metastatic to the pituitary gland: case report and literature review. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004, 89: 574–80.
Roessmann U, Kaufman B, Friede RL. Metastatic lesions in the sella turcica and pituitary gland. Cancer 1970, 25: 478–80.
Max MB, Deck MD, Rottenberg DA. Pituitary metastasis: incidence in cancer patients and clinical differentiation from pituitary adenoma. Neurology 1981, 31: 998–1002.
Heshmati HM, Scheithauer BW, Young WF. Metastases to the pituitary gland. Endocrinologist 2002, 12: 45–9.
McCormick PC, Post KD, Kandji AD, Hays AP. Metastatic carcinoma to the pituitary gland. Br J Neurosurg 1989, 3: 71–9.
Morita A, Meyer FB, Laws ER Jr. Symptomatic pituitary metastases. J Neurosurg 1998, 89: 69–73.
Aung TH, Po YC, Wong WK. Hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis to the skull base, pituitary gland, sphenoid sinus, and cavernous sinus. Hong Kong Med J 2002, 8: 48–51.
Karamouzis MV, Melachrinou M, Fratzoglou M, Labropoulou-Karatza Ch, Kalofonos HP. Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis in the pituitary gland: case report and review of the literature. J Neurooncol 2003, 63: 173–7.
Connor SE, Penney CC. MRI in the differential diagnosis of a sellar mass. Clin Radiol 2003, 58: 20–31.
Abe T, Matsumoto K, Iida M, Hayashi M, Sanno N, Osamura RY. Malignant carcinoid tumor of the anterior mediastinum metastasis to a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma: a case report. Surg Neurol. 1997, 48: 389–94.
Juneau P, Schoene WC, Black P. Malignant tumors in the pituitary gland. Arch Neurol 1992, 49: 555–8.
Chandra V, McDonald LW, Anderson RJ. Metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung presenting as pituitary apoplexy and Cushing’s syndrome. J Neurooncol 1984, 2: 59–66.
Gernez-Lestradet C, Buchet S, Ranfaing J, Mollet E. Pituitary metastasis from small-cell bronchial carcinoma with hyper-prolactinemia. Presse Med 1991, 20: 223.
Lee JP, Lee ST. Hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as intracranial metastasis. Surg Neurol 1988, 30: 316–20.
Ryder SD; British Society of Gastoenterology. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adults. Gut 2003; 52 (Suppl 3): iii1–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moreno-Perez, O., Peiró, F.M., López, P. et al. An isolated pituitary metastasis as presentation of a differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma mimicking a non-functioning macroadenoma. J Endocrinol Invest 30, 428–433 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346322
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03346322