Pituitary gland metastasis from breast cancer: case report

Abstract

Cancer metastasis to the pituitary gland is rare, but in most cases, it originates from a late-stage breast tumor or lung cancer. The most common symptoms of metastasis to the pituitary gland are diabetes insipidus and visual disturbance. The common site of metastasis is the posterior portion of the pituitary gland because it is highly vascularized. Metastases to this site represent 1% of all tumors [1]. Metastasis to the pituitary gland is difficult to diagnose by hormonal analysis and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and requires biopsy for confirmation [2]. The recent increase in survival of cancer patients and the advancement in diagnostic techniques have resulted in a more frequent diagnosis of breast and lung cancer metastasis to the pituitary gland, which has a poor prognosis [3,4].