Hypopituitarism caused by pituitary metastasis of supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma: case report.

Intracranial metastases from laryngeal carcinoma are rarely clinically diagnosed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hypopituitarism due to pituitary metastasis from laryngeal carcinoma. We report on a 70-year-old man who had a supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma, which was resected surgically followed by local full dose radiation therapy. Four months later, he presented with a sudden onset of diplopia, syncope, headache, general malaise and loss of appetite. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a tumorous process of the sellar region. Endocrinological tests disclosed the presence of hypopituitarism. The tumor was subtotally resected endoscopically via endonasal transsphenoidal approach. Histopathology of tumor specimens indicated squamous cell carcinoma. Tumors of the sellar and parasellar region as in the case presented may easily be confused with pituitary adenoma. Pituitary metastases should be considered on differential diagnosis of unusual pituitary tumors, especially in patients with as well as in those without a history of malignant disease.