The quality of life after craniopharyngioma is very good and most people steadily get better.
However most children under 10 years of age that are diagnosed with craniopharyngioma do not regain total normal functioning and survivors of craniopharyngioma may even have to live with several hormonal and neuropsychological challenges.
The life expectancy of someone with craniopharyngioma is around 10 years although some people have lived longer.
The most common site of craniopharyngioma is the sellar/parasellar (particularly suprasellar) region.
Around 2 out of 1 million people are diagnosed with craniopharyngioma each year and out of those 2 out of 1 million people they are diagnosed with one of two types of craniopharyngioma which includes papillary craniopharyngioma and adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.
Craniopharyngiomas are rare and benign tumors of the central nervous system.
Craniopharyngiomas are epithelial tumors which typically arise in the suprasellar area of the brain and extend to involve the hypothalamus, optic chiasm, cranial nerves, third ventricle, and major blood vessels.
People with craniopharyngiomas have a life expectancy of up to 90% at 10 years.
What this means is that 90% of people with craniopharyngioma will survive for at least 10 years, although many people have and do go on to live much longer.
Doctors treat the craniopharyngioma tumors with surgery and radiation therapy.
More than 90% of people with craniopharyngiomas are alive five years after diagnosis.
Craniopharyngiomas can become severe enough to be life-threatening.
The tumor with craniopharyngioma itself is not dangerous, although its effects on the neighboring pituitary gland can lead to the underproduction of certain hormones, which can adversely affect development and other vital bodily functions.
The symptoms of craniopharyngiomas include.
Balance problems.
Confusion, mood swings or behavior changes.
Headache.
Increased thirst and urination.
Nausea and vomiting.
Slow growth in children.
Vision problems.
In craniopharyngioma weight gain can principally occur from the disruption of the normal homeostatic function of the hypothalamic centers responsible for controlling satiety and hunger and regulating energy balance.
Craniopharyngiomas are approximately equally common in males and females.
There is a bimodal age distribution, with one peak in children between 5 and 14 years old and a second peak in adults between 50 and 75 years of age.
Recovering from craniopharyngioma surgery can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Some patients need to take hormone replacements after undergoing surgery.
This largely depends on whether the tumors have damaged the pituitary gland.
In some cases, surgery may not remove all of the tumors.