Pituitary Gland as a Rare Primary Localization of Lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Lymphomas are the rare causes in the differential diagnosis of pituitary masses. While pituitary infiltration by lymphomas is relatively more frequent, isolated lymphoma associated with the pituitary gland is much rarer. We presented a case of a 64-year-old female patient who was admitted to the hospital due to headache, diplopia and decreased visual acuity. Although the stated preoperative diagnosis was parasellar meningioma, the pathological diagnosis was given as isolated primary pituitary lymphoma after ruling out any other foci. After the definitive diagnosis, the patient underwent chemoradiotherapy. However, despite treatment, the patient died due to pulmonary sepsis. Primary pituitary lymphoma is an extremely rare condition generally seen in elderly and/or immunosuppressive patients. In order to establish an effective therapeutic strategy, it is extremely crucial to distinguish between primary and secondary lymphomas. However, the recent evidence for a standardized treatment protocol is still limited due to the small number of cases reported to date.