頭蓋咽頭腫に対する外科手術

Surgical Approaches to Craniopharyngiomas

Point

・頭蓋咽頭腫は，放射線治療を併用しても長期の腫瘍制御が非常に難しい疾患である．

・腫瘍制御のためには初回手術が非常に重要である．

・年齢，患者背景を考えた外科的治療戦略が重要である．

　Surgical treatment of craniopharyngioma still presents several challenges. The tumor recurs at a high rate when its removal is insufficient. However, total resection of the tumor has a high risk of complications owing to its proximity to the hypothalamus and the pituitary stalk. In addition, tumor control by radiation treatment is insufficient for long follow-up periods of over 10 years. Therefore, various treatments have been selected, ranging from partial tumor removal followed by radiation to total tumor removal, even if it involves sacrificing pituitary functions. In this article, we explain the surgical treatment with a focus on endoscopic endonasal surgery for craniopharyngiomas.