Case Report: Headaches and Hormonal Disruptions

Abstract

Craniopharyngiomas are rare, relatively benign, and slow-growing tumors that arise near the pituitary gland and hypothalamus and in the vicinity of the center of the brain. Therefore, the tumor is usually discovered to be big enough to cause presenting symptoms, including headaches, vomiting, and visual problems. Variable hormone deficiencies that lead to poor growth or absent puberty might also be found in children and adolescents, while in adults, such as thyroid underactivity, adrenal crises, gonadotropin deficiency, and diabetes insipidus. Although patients with craniopharyngioma have an excellent survival rate, this tumor’s tendency to adhere to important parts of the brain renders complete resection unattainable and, therefore, leads invariably to tumor recurrence. Thus, patients with this type of tumor must undergo regular, appropriate imaging, by MRI or CT scan.