1985 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 566-570
Examinations of anterior pituitary hormones were made for a case of 5-year-old boy with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia forming a tumor in the forehead. In the skull X-ray film, processus clinoideus anterior, the bottom of sella turcica, and dorsum sellae were seen to be thinned or destroyed. In the CT film, a tumor shadow was seen to exist within and over sella turcica, and partly, in sinus cavernosus. The patient had neither neurological or ophthalmological disturbance nor symptom of hypopituitarism, but no response in GH and TSH secretion was realized and high basal level of prolactin (PRL) as well as exaggerated response of PRL were observed before coming to remission (before disappearance of the tumors). After obtaining remission, recovery of the responses of GH and TSH, and normalization of basal level and response of PRL were observed together with disappearance of the tumors. In the CT film, the tumor in the forehead was found not to be connected with the intracranial tumor. From these findings that these disturbances disappeared through the leukemia therapy, the masses were considered to be caused by leukemic cells. This case would be regarded to be a type of central nervous system leukemia forming leukemic tumor, which transient and subclinical hypothalamic-pituitary disorders could be seized.
