Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for myoepithelioma of the sellar region.

BACKGROUND

Myoepithelioma might arise in the head and neck area, especially within the salivary glands. It is very uncommon as a primary intracranial tumor.

CASE REPORT

A 34-year-old African patient with proliferating myoepithelioma originating in the sellar region is described. After subtotal resection, the tumor recurred locally despite postoperative radiotherapy to a total dose of 54 Gy (Figures 1 and 2). When intracranial metastases developed, chemotherapy with ifosfamide and, later, BCNU was administered. No objective response was obtained with any of the nonsurgical approaches. Uncontrolled intracranial tumor growth led to the patient's death 20 months after the initial diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Most tumors of the sellar region have a favorable prognosis. However, this case of incompletely resected proliferating myoepithelioma showed both local and distant recurrences, which did not respond to further treatment. Thus, complete surgical resection is recommended, whenever technically feasible.