ABSTRACT
Six cases of malignant prolactinoma have been reported; an additional two cases are presented here and the literature is reviewed. Diagnosis rests upon evidence of metastasis rather than histological criteria per se. Cases have arisen from known adenomas, particularly the invasive type. Bromocriptine is a useful palliative. The features and treatment of malignant prolactinoma are discussed.
Subject(s)
Pituitary Neoplasms/diagnosis , Prolactinoma/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pituitary Neoplasms/pathology , Prolactinoma/pathology , Prolactinoma/secondaryABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To report the first case of cerebral sparganosis diagnosed in Australia. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 23-year-old East Timorese refugee, whose diet before migration included raw snakes and frogs, presented with a generalised tonic-clonic seizure and a nine-month history of episodic left hemianaesthesia. Computerised axial tomography of the brain showed a right frontal lesion, which was excised, and histological examination demonstrated changes typical of sparganosis. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Excision of the lesion resulted in cure. Postoperative eosinophilia and a subcutaneous nodule presumed to be due to disseminated sparganosis resolved following a course of praziquantel. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider the possibility of unusual parasitic infections in refugees who present with intracranial space-occupying lesions, especially those from developing countries. A dietary history may aid the diagnosis.