A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland, which is the part of the brain that controls the body's balance of hormones, says Medline Plus, a part of the National Institutes of Health. Most pituitary tumors are noncancerous and never cause symptoms. Causes of pituitary tumors are unknown, but a hereditary disorder termed multiple endocrine neoplasia I (MEN I) is associated with their development. Metastasis of tumors from other parts of the body can also settle in the pituitary gland. Early signs of a pituitary tumor can include vision problems and weight loss.
Vision Loss
According to MayoClinic.com, an early sign of a pituitary tumor is vision loss. This occurs because an enlarging pituitary gland can compress the optic nerve, which is the nerve that sends vision signals from the eye to the brain. Specifically, a patient will have bitemporal hemianopsia, or vision loss, on the far right of the right eye and far left of the left eye. In this case, a patient should be highly suspicious of an enlarging pituitary tumor and seek immediate medical treatment. Surgery may be required to remove the growth.
Enlarging Hands and Feet
A patient with a pituitary tumor may notice enlarging hands and feet due to a secretion excess growth hormone, states MayoClinic.com. Furthermore, a patient may notice coarsened facial features, excessive sweating, heart problems, high blood pressure and arthritis. A patient with these symptoms of a growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumor should seek immediate medical treatment. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the brain will likely be ordered to assess for pituitary gland growth. In addition to surgery, medications may be prescribed to reduce growth hormone levels.
Weight Loss
In some cases, patient may experience weight loss as an early sign of a pituitary tumor, states MayoClinic.com. In this case, the pituitary gland is likely secreting thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which causes the thyroid to release high levels of thyroid hormone in the body. Thyroid hormone is responsible for metabolism, but at high levels can lead to weight loss, a rapid or irregular heartbeat or nervousness, says MayoClinic.com. Removal of the pituitary may be necessary to control the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid levels.
