CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA

Course overview

CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA IS A RARE, VIRTUALLY BENIGN TUMOR OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS). IT IS A PARTLY CYSTIC EMBRYONIC MALFORMATION THAT CAN OCCUR IN THE SELLAR/PARASELLAR REGION AND CAN PRODUCE A WIDE ARRAY OF SYMPTOMATOLOGY SUCH AS HEADACHES, NAUSEA AND VOMITING, VISUAL DISTURBANCES, AND ENDOCRINE DISTURBANCES. IT REPRESENTS A SPECIAL CHALLENGE FOR THE CLINICIANS THAT TREAT IT; THESE CLINICIANS COMMONLY INCLUDE NEUROSURGERY, NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY, NEUROLOGY, ENDOCRINOLOGY, AND PEDIATRICS. THE CHALLENGE IS DUE TO THE TUMOR'S ABILITY TO ADHERE TO THE SURFACES THAT SURROUND IT. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, AND IT IS ALSO NOTORIOUS FOR ITS HIGH RATES OF RECURRENCE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CRANIOPHARYNGIOMA AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.