SYMPTOMATIC PITUITARY METASTASES: TWO CASE REPORTS WITH CONTRASTING CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS

Metastatic diffuse follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer without cervical lymph node metastasis presenting with symptoms related to hypopituitarism

In this article, we present a case of diffuse follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma with pituitary metastasis, which is a rare cause of pituitary metastasis. The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon variant of papillary carcinoma. A 74-year-old male was presented with weakness, fatigue, and a decreased appetite. The patient was diagnosed with secondary adrenal and thyroid insufficiencies. Imaging revealed a pituitary mass with suprasellar extension, right cavernous sinus invasion, and optic chiasm compression. Thyroid ultrasonography revealed a nodule with a maximum size of 7.2cm in the right lobe. Cytological examination via fine-needle aspiration suggested papillary thyroid cancer. Total thyroidectomy with central and right lateral neck dissection confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Owing to visual field defects, the patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluations confirmed pituitary metastasis from the papillary thyroid cancer. Radioactive iodine treatment and gamma knife radiotherapy of the pituitary gland were performed. The initiation of sorafenib treatment was deemed appropriate during the follow-up. A significant decrease in the thyroglobulin levels was observed after sorafenib treatment. Pituitary metastasis should be considered in patients diagnosed with hypopituitarism and pituitary lesions at initial evaluation. The presence of visual field defects may be an indication for neurosurgical intervention and guide both diagnosis and treatment. The management of papillary thyroid cancer and the role of treatment modalities in prognosis depend on the biological behavior of the tumor. Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management are crucial for the treatment of these patients.

Pituitary Metastases From Differentiated Thyroid Cancers: A Systematic Review

Background

Pituitary metastasis (PM) from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is extremely rare and may adversely affect outcomes. We aimed to assess the characteristics and outcomes of patients with PM from DTC.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the literature on publications on PM and the different DTC histologic types (papillary, follicular, and Hurthle cell cancers). Three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Scopus) were searched for articles published from 1967 to 2022. Survival time was estimated as the period from the first treatment of PM to the time of death or last follow-up.

Results

Twenty-five articles comprising 27 cases that met the eligibility criteria were identified using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The median age of the patients was 60 years (23 - 86). A preponderance of females (66.7%) with PM most commonly reported papillary thyroid cancer (55.6%). This was followed by follicular thyroid cancer (37.0%) and Hurthle cell cancer (7.4%). The most common presentations were headache, nausea, and vomiting, with visual symptoms in 44.4%. Diabetes insipidus was an infrequent finding (7.4%). The median time from diagnosis or first treatment of DTC to the diagnosis of PM was 3 years (0 - 25). The most common endocrine abnormality was hyperprolactinemia (63.2%), while the most frequently deficient hormone was luteinizing hormone (50%). The most common treatment modality for PM was a combination of radiotherapy and surgery with or without radio-iodine. At the end of the follow-up, 30% of the patients died. Only 33.3% of the patients achieved complete resolution of symptoms. The overall median survival time was 12 months (3 - 108). There was a moderate inverse correlation between the age of patients and survival, which was, however, not statistically significant (rs = -0.45, P = 0.103).

Conclusion

PM from DTC is extremely rare, and Hurtle cell cancer appears to be the least associated with PM. Diabetes insipidus is a rare initial manifestation of PM from DTC. Complete resolution of symptoms is less likely to be achieved in PM from DTC. Older age may confer an increased survival tendency, probably due to more intracranial space volume in older people compared to the younger population. Larger studies are needed to examine the relationship between age and survival in PM from DTC. Also, more observational data are required to determine the predictors of survival and compare the efficacy of the different treatment modalities in patients with PM from DTC.

Case Report: Pituitary metastasis as a presenting manifestation of silent gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

Introduction

Pituitary metastases are very rare in cancer patients and often originate from lung or breast tumors. They usually occur in patients with known metastatic disease, but rarely may be the first presentation of the primary tumor.

Methods

We present the case of a 58 years-old-man who reported a three-month history of polyuria-polydipsia syndrome, generalized asthenia, panhypopituitarism and bitemporal hemianopsia. Brain-MRI showed a voluminous pituitary mass causing posterior sellar enlargement and compression of the surrounding structures including pituitary stalk, optic chiasm, and optic nerves.

Results

The patient underwent neurosurgical removal of the mass. Histological examination revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of uncertain origin. A total body CT scan showed a mass in the left kidney that was subsequently removed. Histological features were consistent with a clear cell carcinoma. However, endoscopic examination of the digestive tract revealed an ulcerating and infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia. Total body PET/CT scan with 18F-FDG confirmed an isolated area of accumulation in the gastric cardia, with no hyperaccumulation at other sites.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of pituitary metastases from gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Our patient presented with symptoms of sellar involvement and without evidence of other body metastases. Therefore, sudden onset of diabetes insipidus and visual deterioration should lead to the suspicion of a rapidly growing pituitary mass, which may be the presenting manifestation of a primary extracranial adenocarcinoma. Histological investigation of the pituitary mass can guide the diagnostic workup, which must however be complete.

Shrinkage of a pituitary metastasis of melanoma induced by pembrolizumab: a case report

BACKGROUND

Pituitary metastases are rare, often deriving from lung or breast cancer owing to the upper vena cava proximity. Pituitary metastases can manifest with signs and symptoms of pituitary tumors, consequent to mass effect (headache, visual impairment) and/or hormonal alterations (hyperprolactinemia, hypopituitarism, and diabetes insipidus). Immune checkpoint inhibitors burst immunity against tumors, significantly increasing patients' survival, but their autoimmune side effects frequently involve the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the endocrine glands (pituitary, thyroid, pancreas).

CASE PRESENTATION

A 77-year-old Caucasian man had undergone trans-nasal sphenoidal surgery for a nonsecreting pituitary macroadenoma in 2001, without remnant or endocrine deficits. In 2016, he was operated for a shoulder melanoma. In February 2018, imaging evaluation demonstrated metastases in lung, liver, and femur. Therefore, treatment with pembrolizumab (anti-programmed death 1) was scheduled in May 2018, but, before starting this therapy, a brain computed tomography performed for a sudden loss of consciousness detected a sellar mass of 17 × 12 mm, which extended to the pituitary stalk and compressed the optic chiasma. Focused magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the size and characteristics of the lesion, while emergency evaluation of the hormonal profile demonstrated an impairment of adrenal and thyroid function. The pituitary lesion demonstrated a remarkable shrinkage (8 × 6 mm), which was confirmed by subsequent imaging evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first case reporting on effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors in a patient with pituitary metastasis from a melanoma.