Pituicytoma. Two case reports

Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 2006 Mar;46(3):152-6. doi: 10.2176/nmc.46.152.

Abstract

Pituicytoma is a rare tumor in the sellar or suprasellar region with distinct histological characteristics of glial neoplasm. A 42-year-old woman presented with a history of amenorrhea and vertigo, and a 62-year-old woman presented with mild headache. Both patients had mild hyperprolactinemia and one had mild anterior pituitary dysfunction. They underwent transcranial partial resection of a suprasellar tumor. The tumors were characterized by storiform pattern of elongated cells immunoreactive for S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ultrastructural study showed abundant cytoplasmic intermediate filaments and tumor/blood vessel basal lamina, but no desmosomes between tumor cells. The residual tumors showed no changes in size without adjuvant therapy at 56 and 18 months after surgery. Pituicytoma is a glial neoplasm of adults with low proliferative activity. Patients often present with visual symptoms or anterior pituitary dysfunction. Symptoms and signs of neurohypophysis are rare. Neuroimaging reveals an intra- or suprasellar mass with non-specific features. The prognosis and role of adjuvant therapy remain unclear for this discrete noninfiltrative glioma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / surgery*