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Cancers
Special Issues
Pituitary Tumors: Clinical and Surgical Challenges
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Pituitary Tumors: Clinical and Surgical Challenges

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Research of Cancer".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 382

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Michal Hlavac

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Ulm, Lindenallee 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany
Interests: skull base surgery, endoscopic surgery, brain tumor surgery, spinal endoscopy
Prof. Dr. Andrej Pala

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurosurgery, Ulm University, Günzburg, Germany
Interests: skull base and endoscopic surgery; intraoperative imaging; pituitary surgery; neuro-oncology; neurointensive care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pituitary tumors represent a unique challenge in clinical practice due to their diverse presentations and potential for significant morbidity. These neoplasms can impact patients through mass effects, such as visual disturbances and headaches, or through dysregulated hormonal secretion, which can lead to profound clinical syndromes. Recent advances in MRI imaging and endoscopic surgical techniques have revolutionized the ability to identify and manage pituitary tumors with greater precision.

This Special Issue aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the latest developments and challenges in the clinical diagnosis and surgery of pituitary tumors, highlighting innovations that are shaping the future of this field. Integrating quality of life considerations into therapeutic decision-making allows for more personalized and effective treatment, leading to long-term patient satisfaction.

Dr. Michal Hlavac
Prof. Dr. Andrej Pala
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pituitary
  • neuroendocrine tumors
  • transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery
  • MRI imaging
  • quality of life

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 13450 KiB  
Article
Distinctive Characteristics of Rare Sellar Lesions Mimicking Pituitary Adenomas: A Collection of Unusual Neoplasms
by Andrej Pala, Nadja Grübel, Andreas Knoll, Gregor Durner, Gwendolin Etzrodt-Walter, Johannes Roßkopf, Peter Jankovic, Anja Osterloh, Marc Scheithauer, Christian Rainer Wirtz and Michal Hlaváč
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2568; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152568 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 274
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Pituitary tumors account for over 90% of all sellar region masses. However, a spectrum of rare neoplastic, inflammatory, infectious, and vascular lesions—benign and malignant—can arise in the intra- and parasellar compartments and clinically and radiologically mimic PitNETs. We report a cohort [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Pituitary tumors account for over 90% of all sellar region masses. However, a spectrum of rare neoplastic, inflammatory, infectious, and vascular lesions—benign and malignant—can arise in the intra- and parasellar compartments and clinically and radiologically mimic PitNETs. We report a cohort of 47 such rare and cystic midline intracranial lesions, emphasizing their distinctive morphological, clinical, and imaging features and the personalized treatment strategies applied. Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, we reviewed all patients treated for suspected PitNETs via transsphenoidal approach between 2015 and 2024. Of 529 surgical cases, we excluded confirmed PitNETs, meningiomas, and classical intradural craniopharyngiomas. Collected data encompassed patient demographics, tumor characteristics, presenting symptoms, extent of resection or medical therapy, endocrine outcomes, and follow-up information. Results: Among all 529 patients who underwent surgical treatment for sellar lesions from 2015 to 2024, 47 cases (8.9%) were identified as rare or cystic masses. Forty-six underwent transsphenoidal resection; one patient with hypophysitis received corticosteroid therapy alone. Presenting symptoms included headache (n = 16), dizziness (n = 5), oculomotor disturbances (n = 2), and visual impairment (n = 17). Endocrine dysfunction was found in 30 patients, 27 of whom required hydrocortisone replacement. Histopathological diagnoses were led by colloid cysts (n = 14) and Rathke’s cleft cysts (n = 11). The remaining 22 cases comprised plasmacytoma, germinoma, lymphoma, pituicytoma, inverted papilloma, metastatic carcinoma, chordoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, chloroma, and other rare entities. Preoperative imaging diagnosis proved incorrect in 38% (18/47) of cases, with several lesions initially misidentified as PitNETs. Conclusions: Nearly 9% of presumed PitNETs were rare, often benign or inflammatory lesions requiring distinct management. Most could be safely resected and demonstrated excellent long-term outcomes. Yet, despite advanced imaging techniques, accurate preoperative differentiation remains challenging, with over one-third misdiagnosed. Clinical red flags—such as early hormone deficits, rapid progression or atypical imaging findings—should prompt early interdisciplinary evaluation and, when indicated, image-guided biopsy to avoid unnecessary surgery and ensure tailored therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pituitary Tumors: Clinical and Surgical Challenges)
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