[Metastases of the central nervous system: a prospective study. 3rd Communication: metastases in the pituitary gland, pineal gland, and choroid plexus (author's transl)].

The following frequency of metastases was found among 737 systematically investigated malignant tumors: pituitary gland--26 cases (3.5%); choroid plexus--19 cases (2.6%); pineal gland--13 cases (1.8%). Most of the metastases were only demonstrated by histological examination. Half of the cases with secondary deposits in the pituitary gland (13/26) were single metastases without any other settlements in the central nervous system, whereas about a quarter (3/13) of the pineal metastases were single deposits. Contrary to this, the choroid plexus displayed multiply metastases including carcinosis of the brain and leptomeninges, with the exception of one case (table 5). The age distribution revealed a peak in the old age (6th to 8th decade). Males (n = 35) were more frequently affected than females (n = 23). Carcinomas of the breast, however, showed the highest tendency of all tumors for secondary spread to pituitary gland (12,5%, table 4).