Abstract

Objective: Metastatic disease to the sella is uncommon and there are limited available data regarding the clinical aspects of this disease. We sought to characterize the clinical demographics of sellar metastases.Methods: Retrospective chart review of adults at Stanford University Medical Center from 1980 to 2011 with metastatic disease to the sella.Results: 13 subjects were identified (9 F). The mean age at diagnosis was 55 years (range: 25-73 y). 6 (46%) had breast carcinoma, 3 (23%) had renal cell carcinoma, 2 (15%) had squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, 1 had bronchoalveolar carcinoma of the lung, and 1 had nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's lymphoma. The most common presenting signs and symptoms were headache (58%), followed by fatigue (50%), polyuria (50%), visual field defects (42%), and ophthalmoplegia (42%). 75% presented with at least one pituitary hormone insufficiency, including 6 (50%) with diabetes insipidus (DI). 8 (67%) subjects had secondary hypothyroidism, and 5 (45%) had secondary adrenal insufficiency. Of the patients with stalk involvement, 86% had DI. All patients had a prior diagnosis of malignancy for a mean duration of 95 months.Conclusion: In this retrospective review, the most common neoplastic sources to the sella were breast and renal cell carcinoma. Secondary hypothyroidism was the most common endocrine abnormality, followed by DI, and adrenal insufficiency. New onset central hypothyroidism and diabetes insipidus along with known malignancy in a patient with a sellar lesion should raise the suspicion of a metastatic source.

View details for DOI 10.4158/EP12407.OR

View details for PubMedID 23757610