Craniopharyngiomas

Craniopharyngioma

This is a picture of a craniopharyngioma. It is a benign tumor that grows near the pituitary gland in the area of the sella turcica. They can be solid or full of fluid. They are slow growing and can take years to discover or diagnose. They are mostly common in childhood and adolescence. They are congenital and what causes the grownth of a craniopharyngioma is unknown. Symptoms can include increased pressure on the brain, abnormal function of pituitary gland and vision problems. Some patients have no symptoms at all. CT and/or MRI are both recommended to determine the extent of the tumor. Surgery to remove the craniopharyngioma is the most common treatment. However, radiation therapy and some chemotherapy have been other options used in patients. Sometimes treatments are combined with surgery first, then radiation therapy in situations where small remnants of the tumor are left behind. Usually the patient's prognosis is good depending on ability to remove the tumor and the effects brought on by the tumor itself. Hormonal imbalance and neurological effects play a part in the recovery and prognosis.