Nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis to the pituitary gland: a case report and literature review

Abstract

While nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) commonly invades the skull base, true central nervous system metastasis is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of NPC metastasis to the pituitary gland and review the literature for similar events. Eight months after his definitive radiation therapy, our patient presented with symptoms of optic chiasm compression and panhypopituitarism. Medical imaging revealed a pituitary mass but demonstrated no evidence of skull base erosion or direct intracranial extension. Subsequent biopsy of the pituitary lesion was confirmed as NPC in origin with Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA in-situ hybridization studies. The patient was treated with high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant, which produced short-term symptomatic relief and at least a 7 month survival.