Early Findings from the Multicenter RAPID Consortium on Papillary Craniopharyngiomas.

Publication Title

J Neurol Surg B Skull Base

Authors

• Michael P Catalino
• Duy Pham
• Robert C Rennert
• William T Couldwell
• James J Evans
• Calen Callopy
• Won Kim
• Donato Pacione
• Carter M Suryadevara
• Albert Kim
• Julie Silverstein
• Michael Chicoine
• Paul A Gardner
• Garni Barkhoudarian, Department of Neurosurgery, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Los Angeles, CA USAFollow
• Juan C Fernandez Miranda
• Carolina Benjamin
• Varun R Kshettry
• Gabriel Zada
• Jamie J Van Gompel
• Sandhya R Palit
• Nathan Zwagerman
• Stephanie Cheok
• Daniel Prevedello
• Kyle C Wu
• Adam Mamelak
• Mark Pacult
• Andrew Little
• Michael Karsy

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2026

Keywords

california; pni; los angeles

Abstract

Background: Craniopharyngiomas are rare parasellar tumors, and papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCPs) represent 8 to 20% of cases.

Design: Interim analysis of retrospective data collected from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID).

Setting: Fourteen U.S.-based academic skull base centers between 2011 and 2023.

Participants: Patients with PCPs.

Main outcome measures: Demographic, imaging, surgical, and outcome variables.

Results: Ninety-nine patients with PCPs were included. The mean age was 51.8 ± 14.7, and 57.6% were male. Most tumors showed mixed cystic/solid components (67.5%), were transinfundibular (50.0%), and were treated with an endoscopic endonasal approach (74.5%), with 51.1% demonstrating gross total resection (GTR). Pituitary stalk was preserved in 51.9%. Permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency was seen in 67.1% and was associated with pituitary stalk sacrifice ( p = 0.003). Cerebrospinal fluid leak was the most common nonendocrine postsurgical, 30-day complication (9.1%), reason for return to the operating room (3.1%), and reason for 90-day readmission (8.1%). Most patients (63.9%) received no adjuvant therapy; GTR was associated with decreased radiotherapy use ( p = 0.0001). BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 64/69 tumors tested, although only one patient was treated with a BRAF inhibitor. A mean follow-up of 12.3 ± 14.6 months was seen for the group.

Conclusions: RAPID consortium enabled the largest real-world clinical information dataset for PCPs. Early findings support that GTR and stalk preservation are important to outcomes. Iterative analysis and discussion of data led to the generation of a framework for future studies to fully leverage the capabilities of multicenter registries.

Area of Special Interest

Neurosciences (Brain & Spine)

Specialty/Research Institute

Neurosciences

DOI

10.1055/a-2646-2339