Craniopharyngioma

Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) are sellar and suprasellar tumors of benign histology that nevertheless often cause morbidity due to injury to the pituitary, hypothalamus, optic apparatus, third ventricle, or brainstem. Diagnosis in children is often precipitated by pituitary dysfunction, visual impairment, or symptoms of obstructive hydrocephalus. Treatment options so far have been limited to surgery, radiotherapy, and intracystic therapy, of which a modality may be used alone or in combination depending on the patient’s age, tumor characteristics, tumor extension, and involvement of neighborhood structures. Patients with CP require long-term follow-up not only to monitor common tumor recurrence/progression but also to carefully watch pituitary, visual, and metabolic functions as CP patients are at high risk for increased morbidity and mortality.