CASE REPORT article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Surgical Oncology
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1572068
Intracranial Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Coexisting Pituitary Adenoma: A Case Report and Comprehensive Literature Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
- 2Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
- 3Third People's Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
- 4Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- 5Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
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Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) originating from intracranial sites are exceedingly rare. Here, we present the case of a 29-year-old female with intracranial NEC coexisting with a pituitary adenoma (PA). The patient's symptoms included intermittent headaches, visual impairment, and endocrine abnormalities. Imaging studies revealed a large lobulated mass in the left frontal lobe and a mass lesion in the sellar region. Laboratory investigations indicated elevated levels of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH). Surgical resection of the frontal lobe tumor was performed initially, followed by neuroendoscopic transsphenoidal resection of the sellar lesion. The case underscores the diagnostic complexity of intracranial NEC due to its nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations. Surgery remains the primary treatment modality, with adjunctive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Further research is essential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and refine treatment strategies for intracranial NEC.
Keywords: neuroendocrine carcinoma, Intracranial tumor, pituitary adenoma, Clinical manifestation, Pathology, Treatment
Received: 11 Feb 2025; Accepted: 18 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kang, Liu, Duan, Tang, Dong, Zhao, Duan and Pan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yawen Pan, Key Laboratory of Neurology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
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