Metastatic carcinoma to pituitary adenoma report of two cases

The authors present two patients with symptomatic carcinomas which have metastasized to pituitary adenomas. Despite the advanced age of these patients, the preoperative clinical and radiologic evaluations were consistent with pituitary adenoma. There was no previous history of malignancy in either patient, and the symptomatic pituitary metastases were responsible for the initial presentations. A review of the literature is presented with emphasis on the incidence and possible factors responsible for tumors metastasizing to distant neoplasms.