Alcohol-induced adenolysis of the pituitary gland: a new approach to control of intractable cancer pain

In exploring new modalities to control or ameliorate unbearable intractable pain associated with invasive cancer, the authors studied the effectiveness and safety of a new method involving the destruction of the pituitary by injection of absolute alcohol into the gland. Of a series of 24 patients undergoing pituitary adenolysis for control of cancer pain, 13 patients experienced complete and lasting relief and 10 showed significant improvement. The authors hope that the encouraging results obtained in this preliminary study will stimulate other investigators also to employ the transnasal, transphenoidal approach to alcohol-induced hypophysectomy for the control of intractable pain due to advanced cancer.