Progression on metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma from a recurrent prolactinoma: a case report

J Clin Pathol. 2002 Feb;55(2):148-51. doi: 10.1136/jcp.55.2.148.

Abstract

A 54 year old man was referred to the department of neurosurgery for frontal headache and vomiting. The patient was known in the department because of previous multiple surgery for a locally invasive pituitary prolactinoma (eight years, three years, and one year previously). The neurological examination revealed a frontal mass, which adhered to the dura, suggesting a meningioma. One year later, a left temporal metastasis was removed. Three months later, the patient died, with spinal metastases, of massive lung embolism. Histology revealed a progression of adenohypophyseal prolactinoma on neuroendocrine carcinoma, with an increase in proliferating indexes and modification of hormone production. This study documents a 10 year history of a rare prolactin producing pituitary carcinoma, which metastasised via liquoral flow.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / secondary*
  • Disease Progression
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Prolactinoma / pathology*