The pituitary is a small gland (the size of a pea), located just behind the nose and sits at the center of the brain. The pituitary connects the nervous and endocrine systems and secretes several hormones. Abnormal growths and masses in the pituitary can cause the gland's dysfunction, even if they are not cancerous.
Types
There are three distinct types of pituitary tumors, the National Cancer Institute explains. Benign pituitary adenomas describe slow growing pituitary tumors that do not spread to other parts of the body. As such, they are not cancerous. Invasive pituitary adenomas, on the other hand, have the ability to spread into the sinuses and the skull, but are not considered cancerous. Cancerous pituitary tumors are called pituitary carcinomas and can spread throughout the body.
Symptoms From Pressure
Pituitary tumors can cause symptoms as a result of them putting physical pressure on the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms caused by the tumor pressing on the brain include a headache and loss of peripheral vision as well as nausea and a watery discharge from the sinuses. Pituitary tumors can also cause seizures and fatigue. Sometimes pituitary problems can also cause cold intolerance, constipation, lowered blood pressure and unexplained changes in weight.
Symptoms From Hormones
Pituitary tumors that produce pituitary hormones are referred to as functioning tumors, according to the Mayo Clinic. Functioning tumors can cause an excess of certain hormones. For example, tumors that secrete too much of a hormone called adrenocorticotropin can cause high blood sugar, an increase in body fat in the trunk, thin skin and elevated blood pressure. Growth hormone-producing tumors can cause patients to develop coarsened facial features and enlarged feet and hands. Prolactin-secreting hormones can cause women to have irregular periods and have a milky discharge from their breasts, whereas men may respond by developing breasts and experiencing erectile dysfunction. Finally, patients with pituitary tumors that secrete thyroid-stimulating hormone will have an overactive thyroid gland.
Diagnosis
A diagnosis of a pituitary tumor is often suspected, according to the American Cancer Society, if a patient displays symptoms caused by pressure on the brain or a hormonal imbalance. Functioning tumors can be detected by testing hormonal levels in the blood. Otherwise, the tumor can usually be seen on a MRI or a CT scan.
Treatment
The most common method of treating a pituitary tumor, the Mayo Clinic explains, is to surgically remove it. Smaller tumors can be removed via the nose and sinuses, though large tumors may require a surgeon to go in through the patient's skull. If surgery is not possible, the tumor can be shrunk with radiation therapy. Finally, some functional tumors (particularly those that secrete growth hormone or prolactin) can be treated with medications that block the production of hormones by the tumor.
