Treatment methods of craniopharyngioma and its complications with a particular emphasis on obesity

However craniopharyngioma is a histologically benign tumor, its localization around important brain structures makes the treatment process challenging with an increased risk of complications. There is no treatment standard for craniopharyngioma in children. Advantages and risk of total resection relative to the partial resection with subsequent radiotherapy are still discussed. Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is currently most used method of radiotherapy. The other methods are: stereotactic radiosurgery, proton radiotherapy, intracavitary radiation therapy. There are the following complications in patients after craniopharyngioma treatment: hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, visual disturbances, hypothalamic and neurocognitive dysfunctions. Obesity occurs in 40-50% of patients after craniopharyngioma treatment and there is no effective pharmacological therapy. In the case of morbid obesity with severe complications in patients after growth termination, indications to the bariatric surgery should be taken into consideration. Pediatr. Endocrinol. 2017.16.3.60.221-234. © Copyright by PTEiDD 2017 Review Paper Pediatr. Endocrinol. 2017.16.3.60:221-234 Praca przeglądowa Endokrynol. Ped. 2017.16.3.60:221-234 DOI: 10.18544/EP-01.16.03.1677 1The Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw 2The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UJK, Kielce