Watchful Waiting and Craniopharyngioma

Letters15 November 1992Watchful Waiting and CraniopharyngiomaFady I. Sharara, MD, George P. Chrousos, MD, Nicholas J. Patronas, MDFady I. Sharara, MDSearch for more papers by this author, George P. Chrousos, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Nicholas J. Patronas, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-117-10-876_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors:Craniopharyngiomas constitute 3% to 5% of all intracranial tumors in adults and about 15% in children. These tumors usually consist of solid cellular components and cystic areas containing oily mixtures of degenerated blood and desquamated epithelium or necrotic tissue with cholesterol crystals. Calcifications may be present in as many as 85% of cases and are detected by computed tomographic (CT) scan but not by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (1). Though usually slow-growing and almost always benign, they can invade various sellar and suprasellar tissues and cause significant pathology. Management has been primarily surgical, with radiation therapy as...References1. Kaufman B. Perisellar lesions. In: Tavaras JM, Ferruci JT; eds. Radiology. v. 3. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co.; 1987:1-12. Google Scholar2. Chen Wen B. A comparison of the roles of surgery and radiation therapy in the management of craniopharyngiomas. Int J Radiation Oncology Biol Phys. 1989;15:17-24. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. Flickinger J. Megavoltage external beam irradiation of craniopharyngiomas: analysis of tumor control and morbidity. Int J Radiation Oncology Biol Phys. 1990;19:117-22. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Shillito J. Treatment of craniopharyngioma. Clin Neurosurg. 1985;33:533-46. Google Scholar5. ManakaTeramotoTakakura SAK. The efficacy of radiotherapy for craniopharyngioma. J Neurosurg. 1985;62:648-56. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD 20892 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByPituitary IncidentalomaPituitary IncidentalomasPITUITARY INCIDENTALOMASApproach to the incidentally discovered pituitary mass 15 November 1992Volume 117, Issue 10Page: 876-877KeywordsBloodChildrenCholesterolComputed axial tomographyEpitheliumMagnetic resonance imagingRadiation therapy Issue Published: 15 November 1992 PDF DownloadLoading ...