Gangliocytomas of the sellar region are rare, well-differentiated, benign tumors that may coexist with pituitary adenomas, forming so-called “collision tumors.” These lesions often present with endocrine dysfunction, most commonly acromegaly.
Case DescriptionWe report a 69-year-old female who presented with drug-resistant headaches, acromegalic features, and signs of Cushing's disease. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar mass with extension into the clivus. Endoscopic transsphenoidal resection revealed a tumor composed of ganglion cells and adenohypophyseal components. Immunohistochemistry confirmed a diagnosis of gangliocytoma coexisting with a hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma. Postoperative hormonal normalization was achieved.
ConclusionSellar gangliocytomas with dual hormonal activity pose diagnostic challenges and highlight the importance of histological and immunohistochemical evaluation. Awareness of these rare entities can prevent misdiagnosis and support appropriate surgical management.
Keywords acromegaly - collision tumor - cushing disease - gangliocytoma - pituitary adenoma Ethical ApprovalThis study was conducted in accordance with institutional ethical standards. Ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee of our institution following a formal review of the research protocol.
Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case and any accompanying images.
M.A.I. is currently affiliated with Department of Pathology, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye
Publication HistoryReceived: 22 July 2025
Accepted: 02 October 2025
Article published online:
03 December 2025
© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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