What is a pituitary tumor?
The pituitary gland produces hormones that help regulate a wide range of your bodily functions, including body temperature, heart rate, mood, and growth. When you have a pituitary tumor that interferes with the gland’s ability to function, it can negatively impact many of these functions.
Many pituitary tumors are benign, or noncancerous, meaning they won’t spread. However, they can grow large enough to interfere with your health. They may require surgery if they’re interfering with your day-to-day function.
What are the symptoms of a pituitary tumor?
Pituitary tumors affect everyone differently. Some cause hormonal deficiencies, while others overproduce hormones. Other types, like adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting (ACTH) tumors, produce different hormones that stimulate your adrenal glands. That can lead to an overproduction of the hormone cortisol.
Depending on the size and type of tumor, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Weight fluctuations
- Weakness
- Feeling too hot or cold
- Frequent urination
- Acne
- High blood pressure
- Increased fat in the midsection
- Excessive sweating
- Joint pain
- Irritability
- Mood changes
Without treatment, a pituitary tumor can impact your ability to function properly, which diminishes your quality of life.
What causes a pituitary tumor?
There’s no single known cause of pituitary tumors. While some have hereditary factors, meaning they run in families, the vast majority don’t. Medical experts do know that individuals with the genetic condition multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 1 (MEN 1), have an increased risk of developing pituitary tumors.
How is a pituitary tumor diagnosed?
It typically takes multiple tests to diagnose pituitary tumors. Since the symptoms of pituitary tumors can mimic other conditions, your provider at Academy of Neurosurgical Physicians runs a series of tests before making a diagnosis.
The most common types of tests for pituitary tumors include blood work, urinalysis, and vision testing. Next, your neurological surgeon orders magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans to diagnose your condition.
What are the treatments for a pituitary tumor?
While your provider may want to monitor your pituitary tumor for some time, these growths typically require surgery. There are two ways to perform pituitary removal surgery:
Endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal
During endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal surgery, your surgeon removes the tumor through your nose without creating external excisions.
Craniotomy
A craniotomy accesses the tumor through the skull by making incisions in your scalp. This approach is more common with larger tumors that aren’t operable through endoscopic methods.
To learn more about pituitary tumors, call Academy of Neurosurgical Physicians or schedule an appointment online now.
