[Diagnostic difficulties in scanty symptomatic pituitary tumor]. / Trudnosci diagnostyczne w skapoobjawowym guzie przysadki.

Adenomas are the most frequent pituitary tumours and constitute up to 8% of intracranial tumors. They are divided according to size into microadenomas and macroadenomas, the latter are expanding suprasellary, and also infiltrate the base of the skull. Depending on histological staining, they are divided into neutrophilic, acidophilic and basophilic adenomas. Hormonally active adenomas are responsible for Cushing, Forbes and Albright diseases and acromegaly. Macroadenomas are responsible for chronic hypothalamo-pituitary axis insufficiency. Clinically, pituitary tumours produce local (headaches and vision deficiency) and general signs like hormonal disturbances. Diagnosis, localisation and size of pituitary tumours is made using radiological techniques. Treatment may consist of surgical (removing of the tumour and chiasma opticum decompression), pharmaco and radiotherapy. The case described illustrates the diagnosis of an oligosymptomatic pituitary tumour.

[Cardiac tamponade as the first clinical manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma]. / Tamponada serca jako pierwsza manifestacja kliniczna plaskonablonkowego raka oskrzela.

The case concerns a 56 year old male with the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, which clinically presented as a rapidly increasing cardiac tamponade. The patient underwent a pericardio-centesis. Due to the expansion of the process within the bronchus, the patient underwent chemotherapy according to the Taxol + Carboplatine scheme. After 8 months of treatment the patient was hospitalized again due to a further increase in fluid in the pericardium, and symptoms of cardiac insufficiency which lead to patient death. Autopsy revealed neoplastic change within the pericardium (fibrinous-hemorrhagic pericarditis and hemopericardium). Cardiac tumors occur rarely, they may be primary or secondary. Squamous cell carcinoma metastases may be the cause of pericardial effusion, which is associated with poor prognosis.