Metastatic tumors in the sellar and parasellar regions are uncommon and rarely detected in clinical practice. We present four cases of sellar and parasellar metastatic tumors, which metastasized from distant organ in one case and extended directly from adjacent structures in three. Common presenting symptoms were cranial neuropathies, headache and facial pain. Invasion into the cavernous sinus was noted in all cases. We report rare cases of sellar and parasellar metastases. Also, we should consider the possibility of metastasis in these regions for patients who showed the above clinical presentations in systemic cancer patients. In extensive diseases, transient symptomatic relief could be obtained by direct surgical management, even in restricted degree.
Adenocarcinoma/therapy ; Adenocarcinoma/radiography ; Adenocarcinoma/pathology* ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms/radiography ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Infiltrating Duct/therapy ; Carcinoma, Infiltrating Duct/radiography ; Carcinoma, Infiltrating Duct/pathology* ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Male ; Middle Age ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/therapy ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/radiography ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Palatal Neoplasms/therapy ; Palatal Neoplasms/radiography ; Palatal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Sella Turcica* ; Skull Neoplasms/therapy ; Skull Neoplasms/secondary* ; Skull Neoplasms/physiopathology