[Value of postoperative radiotherapy in various tumors of the pituitary gland].

Abstract

Already advocated by Cushing to complement surgery of pituitary adenomas, radiotherapy remains useful in these benign tumours despite controversies concerning long-term results, pituitary cell resistance and potential harmful effects on the optic nerve, glands and skin. Radiotherapy was applied to 36.6 p. 100 of 150 patients with pituitary tumours operated upon by the same surgical team. Some very good results were obtained, notably in invasive and recurrent tumours. In a case of chromophobe adenoma operated twice at 1 year interval, radiotherapy (4,500 rads) after the second operation resulted in complete cure confirmed by computerized tomography 15 years later. Similarly, in an 8-year old girl reoperated upon for severe recurrent suprasellar craniopharyngioma 3 years after the initial excision, post-operative radiotherapy (5,000 rads) produced excellent remission which persists after 19 years. Thus, even with the modern diagnostic and microneurosurgical procedures, radiotherapy remains, for many authors, a useful and safe method to improve the prognosis of pituitary tumours.

• Authors: B Vlahovitch, C Reynaud, J Rhiati, H Mansour, F Hammoud
• Journal: Presse medicale (Paris, France : 1983) (Presse Med) Vol. 17 Issue 14 Pg. 675-8 (Apr 16 1988) ISSN: 0755-4982 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Intérêt de la radiothérapie postopératoire dans certaines tumeurs de l'hypophyse.
• PMID: 2966950 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adenoma (radiotherapy, surgery)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Craniopharyngioma (radiotherapy, surgery)
• Humans
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (radiotherapy)
• Pituitary Neoplasms (radiotherapy, surgery)
• Postoperative Period