Asian Spine Journal  2014;8(5):680-683

doi:10.4184/asj.2014.8.5.680

Drop Metastasis of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Producing Pituitary Carcinoma to the Cauda Equina.

Kenichi TAKEUCHI 1 ; Yoko HAGIWARA ; Koichi KANAYA ; Keiji WADA ; Masahiro SHIBA ; Yoshiharu KATO

Affiliations

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Keywords

Drop metastasis; Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Pituitary carcinoma; Cauda equine

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

The diagnosis of pituitary carcinoma cannot be made easily histologically, and most cases of pituitary carcinoma are diagnosed only after the clinical detection of metastasis. Distant metastasis of pituitary tumor occurs in 0.1% to 0.2% of cases and has been reported in the liver, bone and central nervous system, with only one case of metastasis to the cauda equine reported. This study describes a rare case of the drop metastasis of adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing pituitary adenocarcinoma to the cauda equina, causing cauda equina syndrome.