Craniopharyngioma
Craniopharyngioma is a slow-growing, non-cancerous brain tumor that develops near the pituitary gland (a small endocrine gland at the base of the brain which produces several important hormones) and the hypothalamus (an endocrine organ which controls the release of hormones by the pituitary gland). This tumor most commonly affects children between 5 and 10 years of age; however, adults can sometimes be affected. Although craniopharyngiomas are not cancerous, they may grow and press on nearby parts of the brain, causing symptoms including hormonal changes, vision changes, slow growth, headaches, nausea and vomiting, loss of balance, hearing loss, and changes in mood or behavior.

The cause of these tumors is not well understood; however, researchers suspect that they begin to form during the early stages of embryo development in pregnancy (embryogenesis) and may result from metaplasia (abnormal transformation of cells). Treatment for craniopharyngioma varies and may involve surgery to remove the tumor, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, and/or hormone therapy to replace various hormones no longer produced or secreted due to the tumor or its treatment.