High-grade osteosarcoma following radiation therapy for pituitary adenoma

Radiotherapy plays an adjunctive role with surgical debulking in the treatment of pituitary adenomas. The incidence of developing a second brain tumor following surgical and radiation treatment for pituitary adenoma is low, however present. This is a case report of a patient with a recurrent sellar tumor that was initially diagnosed as a nonsecretory pituitary adenoma. Treatment al the initial presentation involved two craniotomies and a course of radiotherapy to irradiate the tumor. Twelve years later, a recurrent sellar mass was identified and subsequently surgically debulked. It was histologically diagnosed as a highgrade osteosarcoma. The relevant literature is discussed with respect to the risk of developing a second brain tumor following surgical and radiation therapy for pituitary adenoma.