Pituitary carcinoma with multiple metastases: A case report and literature review

Pituitary carcinoma is traditionally defined as a tumor of adenohypophyseal cells that metastasizes systemically or craniospinally. They account for approximately 0-2% of all pituitary tumors. Their diagnosis and treatment is challenging. We report the case of a woman who was initially diagnosed with adenoma and scheduled for surgery. An MRI of the brain three weeks later showed metastatic lesions. The patient died ten days after surgery due to adrenal crisis. The development of pituitary carcinoma is extremely unusual. It could be misdiagnosed with an invasive pituitary adenoma. Until recently, treatment of pituitary carcinoma was mainly palliative and did not appear to increase overall survival.