Pituitary Gland Tumor - How To Spot The Signs of It?

Pituitary tumors are a rare occurrence, and not all of them show some kind of symptoms. However, in some cases, the patients may display few symptoms. This totally depends on whether the tumor is functional or non-functional. When the tumor is functional, it means that they are releasing excess hormones while non-functional tumor would not cause excess release of hormones.

Types of pituitary tumors:
As already pointed, there are two variants of pituitary tumors- functional and non-functional.

• Functional adenomas can lead to issues owing to the hormones they release. Typically, a functional adenoma creates an excess amount of a single hormone. The symptoms are dependent on the type of hormone secreted by them.
• Tumors which do not lead to excess secretion of hormones tend to become large even before they are noticed. They may lead to different kinds of symptoms when they press against other parts of the brain or nerves or other areas of the pituitary.
• Non-functional adenomas which do not lead to any symptoms are often found owing to the MRI or CT scan performed for other health troubles. These tumors are becoming more common since CT scans and MRIs are done more commonly, and these are the most prevalent type of tumors. There is no need to treat them as long as they do not cause any discomfort or symptoms.

Symptoms caused by pituitary tumors:
The carcinomas, as well as macroadenomas, are large enough to press on a nearby nerve or other parts of the brain regardless of whether they are functional or not. This may lead to signs and symptoms such as loss of peripheral vision, headaches, dizziness, facial numbness or pain, blurred or double vision and loss of consciousness. Sudden bleeding into the tumor can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. Depending on the type of nerves affected by the pituitary tumor can cause weakness, unexplained loss or gain of weight, nausea, feeling tired and cold, menstrual changes, erectile dysfunction, and reduced interest in sex, particularly in men.

Treatment of pituitary tumors:
Many patients suffering from pituitary tumors do not need any treatment. However, there are various factors like the size, type, and reach of the tumor that play an important role in deciding whether the patients require treatment or not. Moreover, the age of the patients and overall health conditions are the most crucial aspect in the decision of the same.

Surgical removal of the pituitary tumor is generally advised by the doctor when the tumor is pressing on the optic nerves or when the tumor is overproducing some hormones. On the other hand, radiation therapy makes use of high-energy X-rays for destroying tumors. Lastly, treatment with medicines can help in blocking excess secretion of hormone and even shrink certain types of pituitary tumors.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!