Pituitary Tumor Overview

Pituitary tumors are unusual growths that develop in the pituitary gland, located behind the nose at the base of the brain. Most of these tumors are benign (noncancerous) and called pituitary adenomas. They can be treated with surgery, medications, radiation therapy, or a combination of these approaches.

Types

Types of pituitary adenomas include:

• Functioning adenomas that make hormones like ACTH, growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, or thyroid-stimulating hormone.
• Nonfunctioning adenomas that don't make hormones but can cause symptoms due to pressure on nearby tissues.
• Macroadenomas (larger than 1 cm) or microadenomas (smaller than 1 cm) that can be functioning or nonfunctioning.

Symptoms

Pituitary tumor symptoms can be caused by pressure on the brain or hormone imbalances. Some common symptoms include:

• Headache.
• Eye problems, such as loss of side vision and double vision.
• Pain in the face, sinus, or ear.
• Drooping eyelid.
• Seizures.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Tiredness, weakness, and sexual problems.
• Changes in menstrual cycles and fertility problems.
• Acromegaly symptoms (enlarged body parts) or Cushing syndrome symptoms (weight gain, thinning skin, etc.).
• Hyperthyroidism symptoms (weight loss, rapid heartbeat, etc.).

Causes

The cause of pituitary tumors is unknown, but genetics may play a role. Some hereditary conditions like multiple endocrine neoplasia and Carney complex can raise the risk of pituitary tumors.

Complications

Pituitary tumors usually don't spread, but they can cause complications such as problems with eyesight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, bone loss, heart problems, and seizures. Permanent low hormone levels may require hormone replacement therapy. Pituitary apoplexy, a rare complication, involves sudden bleeding into the tumor and requires emergency treatment.