Management of craniopharyngiomas

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31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Craniopharyngiomas are rare epithelial tumours arising along the path of the craniopharyngeal duct. Their pathogenesis remains uncertain and they can present with a variety of manifestations attributed to pressure effects to surrounding structures. The optimal management of craniopharyngiomas remains challenging mainly due to their sharp, irregular borders and their tendency to adhere to vital neurovascular structures making surgical manipulations potentially hazardous to vital brain areas. Non-aggressive surgery followed by radiotherapy is currently the most widely used option possibly achieving the most optimal long-term outcome. Other treatment modalities including intracystic irradiation, intracystic instillation of antineoplasmatic agents and stereotactic radiotherapy are also available in our armamentarium. The long-term morbidities related with the craniopharyngiomas and their treatment remain significant, with hypothalamic damage playing the protagonist role and requiring further studies to identify measures that will improve the prognosis of the patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)219-28
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of endocrinological investigation
Volume37
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2014

Keywords

  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Disease Management
  • Humans
  • Pituitary Neoplasms
  • Prognosis

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