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Atypical, invasive, recurring Crooke cell adenoma of the pituitary

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Abstract

We report the case of a 49-year-old woman presenting with Cushing disease and visual disturbance. An atypical, aggressive, invasive pituitary tumor regrew despite several surgeries. Detailed morphologic investigation by histology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy documented a Crooke cell adenoma, a rare form of ACTH-producing pituitary tumor. Recognition of such adenomas is of importance given their aggressive behavior and tendency to recur. More studies are needed to explain the pathobiology of this not invariably functional pituitary adenoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Str., M5B1W8, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Fabio Rotondo BSc, Eva Horvath & Kalman Kovacs

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Michael Cusimano

  3. Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Bernd W. Scheithauer

  4. Department of Pathology, Trillium Health Centre, Mississauga, ON, Canada

    Claire Coire

Authors
  1. Fabio Rotondo BSc
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  2. Michael Cusimano
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  3. Bernd W. Scheithauer
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  4. Claire Coire
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  5. Eva Horvath
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  6. Kalman Kovacs
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Correspondence to Fabio Rotondo BSc.

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Rotondo, F., Cusimano, M., Scheithauer, B.W. et al. Atypical, invasive, recurring Crooke cell adenoma of the pituitary. Hormones 11, 94–100 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03401542

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03401542

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