The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland at the base of the brain that generates and secretes a number of hormones. The gland is involved in a range of functions throughout the body, and plays a role in processes including fertility and sexual development, thyroid function and blood pressure regulation. Pituitary tumors are non-cancerous growths on the pituitary gland. The symptoms of pituitary tumors stem from the growth of the tumor itself, as well from hormone secretion by the tumor.
Lactation or Gynecomastia
Possible symptoms of a pituitary tumor are breast-related symptoms. A population of cells within the pituitary are responsible for secreting a hormone called prolactin, which signals breast development and maturity. Under normal conditions, high prolactin levels are only seen in certain circumstances like pregnancy, when prolactin is required for lactation to breastfeed the baby. If a pituitary tumor secretes large levels of prolactin, patients will experience breast symptoms.
Women with prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors will often lactate even in the absence of pregnancy. The enhanced prolactin levels from the tumor stimulate milk production in the lobules of the breast, causing lactation. In men, prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors lead to male breast growth, called gynecomastia, reports the UCLA Health System. Treating the tumor will lower prolactin levels and alleviate breast symptoms.
Cushing's Disease
Other types of benign pituitary tumors can secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ATCH. ATCH signals for the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands above the kidney, leading to Cushing's disease. Cushing's disease as a result of the pituitary tumor leads to the development of fat deposits in the face, neck and abdomen, causing central obesity. Patients with Cushing's also experience excess hair growth, and may develop diabetes or hypertension, reports the IRSA, an organization at the University of British Columbia. Treating the pituitary tumor stops the excess production of ATCH, which in turn decreases cortisol, and relieves the symptoms of Cushing's disease.
Headaches
If the pituitary tumor is allowed to progress, patients may begin to suffer from persistent or severe headaches. Although the tumor is benign, so it cannot invade neighboring tissue, the growth of the tumor increases the mass of the brain and presses against neighboring nerve structures. Massachusetts General Hospital indicates that patients may experience persistent aching headaches if the tumor puts pressure on the trigeminal nerve. In other cases, pituitary tumors may cause severe acute headaches by irritating the lining of the brain. Treatment to shrink or remove the pituitary tumor relieves headaches by relieving pressure within the brain.
