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. 2023 Mar 21:19:100186.
doi: 10.1016/j.wnsx.2023.100186. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Surgical approach to the treatment of pituicytoma. Report of five cases and a literature review

Marcos Ezequiel Yasuda  1 , Rodolfo Recalde  1 , Pablo Jalón  1 , Diego Prost  2 , Alexandra Golby  3   4   5 , Roberto Zaninovich  1
Affiliations

Surgical approach to the treatment of pituicytoma. Report of five cases and a literature review

Marcos Ezequiel Yasuda et al. World Neurosurg X. .

Abstract

Background: Pituicytoma (PTs) is a rare tumor of the sella and suprasellar region, derived from the pituicytes of the neurohypophysis, having distinct histological characteristics of glial neoplasms. We reported, the clinical data, neuroimaging studies, surgical approaches and pathology in five patients with PTs and also, we reviewed the literature.

Methods: Retrospective chart from five consecutive patients with PTs treated at one University Hospital from 2016 to 2021 were reviewed. In addition, we conducted a search in PubMed/Medline databases using the term "Pituicytoma". Data regarding age, gender, pathological findings, and treatment modality applied were extracted.

Results: All patients were female, aged 29-63, complaining of headaches, visual loss and field defects, dizziness and normal or abnormal levels of circulating pituitary hormones. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed in all patients a sellar and suprasellar mass, which was removed through an endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. Our third patient had a subtotal resection followed by close observation. Histopathology showed a glial non-infiltrative tumors with spindle cells, and a final diagnosis of pituicytoma was made. After surgery, visual field defects in all patients were normalized, and in two patients normal levels of plasma hormones were restored. After a mean of three years follow-up, the patients were managed post-operatively through close clinical observation and serial MRI. None of the patients had recurrence of the disease.

Conclusion: PTs is a rare glial tumor of the sellar and suprasellar region that arises from neurohypophyseal pituicytes. Disease control may be achieved by total excision.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Glioma; Neurohypophyseal disease; Pituitary tumor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors of “Surgical approach to treatment of pituicytoma. Criteria applied in a patient having COVID-19 and literature review.” declare that they have no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper.

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Case 1 Contrast-enhanced (A) axial (B) coronal, and (C) sagittal magnetic resonance images showing a well-demarcated and strongly enhancing intrasellar mass with suprasellar extension.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Case 2 T2 –weighted Axial (A), and contrast-enhanced coronal (B), and sagittal (C) magnetic resonance images demonstrating an intrasellar-suprasellar mass. Hematoxylin-eosin staining section (magnification ×250) showing homogeneously elongated cells with slightly fibrillary cytoplasm, dispersed in interlacing fascicles with a typical storiform pattern (D).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Case 3 MRI Contrast-enhanced (A) coronal and (B) Sagittal images showed a sellar and suprasellar extension.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Case 4 Contrast-enhanced coronal (A) and sagittal (B) magnetic resonance images demonstrate a strongly enhancing intrasellar mass with suprasellar extension. Photomicrographs showing two hematoxylin-eosin staining sections (magnification 63X (C) and 250X (D) of the tumor, with interlacing bundles of polar glial cells with fibrillated cytoplasm.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Case 5 Contrast-enhanced axial (A), coronal (B) and sagittal (C) magnetic resonance images demonstrate a homogenously enhancing intrasellar mass with suprasellar extension, compressing the optic chiasm.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Case 5. A: Photomicrograph showing oval to spindle-shaped cells arranged in short intersecting fascicles with eosinophilic cytoplasm pattern. There is no mitotic activity and no necrosis. Hematoxylin-eosin stain, original magnification 125X. Immunohistochemistry reveals strong labelling of both nuclei and cytoplasm by GFAP (B) and S-100 (C) immunostain. Original magnification 400X.
Graph 1
Graph 1
Amount of resection by approach.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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