Sequential Treatment of a Large Pituitary Corticotroph Neoplasm and Associated Neurological Signs in a Dog

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2019 Mar/Apr;55(2):e55202. doi: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6831. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Abstract

No standardized treatment guidelines are reported in veterinary medicine for dogs with large pituitary corticotroph neoplasms causing neurological signs, and such dogs usually have a short overall survival. When these dogs undergo pituitary surgery and the tumor regrows there are few reports of subsequent treatments. A 7 yr old male Maltese diagnosed with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism developed seizures in conjunction with a large pituitary corticotroph adenoma and underwent transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. After 3 yr of clinical remission, hypercortisolism recurred, and trilostane therapy was initiated. One year later, the dog developed new neurological signs and computed tomography revealed regrowth of a large pituitary mass that was then treated with radiation therapy. The dog lived disease-free for 3 more yr. At postmortem examination, a more aggressive pituitary neoplasm than the one examined at the time of surgery was found, which is suggestive of malignant transformation into a carcinoma despite the absence of convincing metastasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / pathology
  • Adenoma / surgery
  • Adenoma / veterinary*
  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases / pathology
  • Dog Diseases / surgery*
  • Dogs
  • Hypophysectomy / veterinary
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / veterinary*
  • Pituitary Gland / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / surgery
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / veterinary*