According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "a pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland, the part of the brain that regulates the body's balance of hormones." When the normal output of hormones is altered, it can result in noticeable symptoms. Pituitary tumors account for 15 percent of skull-based tumors, though most of those tumors are benign and without symptoms. However, according to Cedars-Sinai, patients with pituitary cancer can have a variety of symptoms; in addition, male and female patients can have different symptoms.
General Symptoms
The symptoms of pituitary cancer vary greatly, depending on which hormones are affected by the tumor. For example, the majority of the pituitary tumors occur on the anterior pituitary lobe, which produces hormones that affect the adrenal gland, liver, bone, gonads and thyroid gland. According to the NIH, hair loss can occur, such as coarse thinning hair, loss of body hair and thinning eyebrows. Some patients may experience unintentional weight loss or gain. Other patients may have an enlargement of the jaw, tongue or bones in the face. Other symptoms include constipation, puffy eyes, headache, lethargy, low blood pressure, nasal drainage, nausea, vomiting, sense of smell problems, seizures, skin changes, double vision, drooping eyelids and weakness. Mood changes are also possible, such as decreased sexual interest and irritability. In addition, some pituitary cancer patients may experience intolerance to either the cold or the heat. However, patients may not experience all or any of these symptoms.
Female Symptoms
According to the NIH, female pituitary cancer patients experience symptoms than male patients do not. These symptoms include excessive body hair, abnormal nipple discharge and a cessation of menstruation. Women with pituitary cancer can experience these symptoms along with the other general symptoms of pituitary cancer.
Male Symptoms
Just like female patients have sex-related symptoms, so do male pituitary cancer patients. According to the NIH, male patients can suffer from impotence and breast development as a result of pituitary cancer. In addition, men can have these symptoms and general symptoms of pituitary cancer.
