Intracranial malignancies occurring more than 20 years after radiation therapy for pituitary adenoma

J Neuroophthalmol. 2009 Dec;29(4):289-95. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0b013e3181b4a1be.

Abstract

A 37-year-old woman developed a left third cranial nerve palsy 28 years after radiation for a nonsecreting pituitary adenoma. Imaging disclosed a left parasellar mass and a midbrain/pontine signal abnormality. Biopsy of the parasellar mass revealed a malignant sarcoma. The brainstem abnormality was presumptively diagnosed as a malignant glioma. A 63-year-old man developed a malignant astrocytoma of the left optic nerve and chiasm 23 years after partial excision and radiation of a nonsecreting pituitary adenoma. Both patients died of their malignancies. Although secondary malignancies have been described in this setting, such long latencies have not been reported.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / radiotherapy*
  • Adult
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / therapy
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Glioma / etiology*
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Glioma / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / etiology*
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / therapy
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / etiology*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / therapy
  • Optic Nerve Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Optic Nerve Neoplasms / pathology
  • Optic Nerve Neoplasms / therapy
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Time Factors