Pituitary tumors are among the most common skull base disorders, affecting as many as 7,000 people each year and causing a number of physical ailments that can significantly impact the quality of life for patients. In order to understand the problems that pituitary tumors can cause, it is first necessary to understand the role of the pituitary gland within the body.
What is the pituitary gland?
The pituitary gland is a small organ about the size of a pea located in the center of the brain. This central location allows it to distribute hormones throughout the endocrine system, and in fact, the pituitary gland produces hormones necessary for reproduction, growth, lactation and many other aspects of the body’s normal function. Because of its extreme importance in a wide range of physical systems, the pituitary gland is often regarded as the primary organ in the endocrine system. Glands in the endocrine system include the hypothalamus, thyroid and liver, among others.
How do tumors affect pituitary function?
Pituitary tumors are classed according to their effects on the function of the pituitary gland. Functioning pituitary tumors work with the pituitary to secrete too much of a particular hormone, causing the body to react negatively to this imbalance. Nonfunctioning pituitary tumors, by contrast, typically cause damage or press against the pituitary gland in a way that prevents it from producing the correct amount of certain hormones, causing negative effects in the opposite direction. Because pituitary tumors cause the release of too much or too little hormonal stimulus to the body, patients may suffer from growth disturbances, reproductive system disorders and other ailments due to these abnormal hormonal levels.
What are some of the symptoms?
Some of the most common symptoms of pituitary tumors include headaches, nausea, vision loss, unusual growth patterns or unexplained weight gain, brittle bones and sexual dysfunctions. Acromegaly, unexplained lactation and seizures may also occur in advanced cases. The presence of any of these symptoms should prompt a visit to a physician.
Are there treatment options for pituitary tumors?
In some cases, targeted radiation therapy or drug therapy may be useful in treating smaller tumors or tumors with a slower rate of growth. These therapies may be tried alone or in combination with other treatment methods, including surgery. Surgical treatments for pituitary tumors differ depending on the type and the size of the tumor. While open-brain surgery was once the norm for these disorders, newer, minimally invasive methods for pituitary tumor removal are preferred since they cause less damage to surrounding tissue and reduce recovery time for patients.
