Pituitary Tumor Prevention & Cures

Pituitary tumors affect the pituitary gland, the body's main hormone production center, and can produce a wide array of harmful effects. The exact causes for pituitary tumors are not known. Although they are quite treatable, especially in their early stages, they do not have a reliable cure. Treatment options for the tumors vary widely according to the particulars of each individual case.

About Pituitary Tumors

• Most pituitary tumors are adenomas, a benign class of tumor that does not spread to other organs or tissue. Much of the damage they cause is related to the pituitary gland's size, location and function. Situated just above the back of the nose, the gland is about the size of a pea. It is surrounded by other structures, and any growth in such a small space can cause problems, whether benign or not. Additionally, even benign growths may have a direct effect on the pituitary gland, disrupting the production of one or more essential hormones. Some pituitary tumors, called invasive adenomas, cause additional problems by spreading to the sinus cavity or the bones of the skull. A small number of tumors are actually cancerous, and can spread to the brain, spinal cord or other parts of the body.

  The majority of pituitary tumors are referred to as "functioning" tumors, meaning that the tumor produces hormones as if it were normal pituitary tissue. These extra secretions add to the hormonal imbalances that characterize many forms of the illness. Other nonfunctioning tumors do not produce hormones.

  If your family history includes incidents of a disease called multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 1 (MEN 1), you have an increased risk of developing tumors. Still, most sufferers have no such history, and lack of knowledge about how pituitary tumors are formed means there is no effective method of preventing onset.

Symptoms

• If you are developing a pituitary tumor, your symptoms may include fatigue, seizures, loss of peripheral vision, headaches, clear nasal discharge, weakness, vomiting, loss of body hair and low blood pressure. Other symptoms are triggered by changing hormone levels, and may include acromegaly (abnormally large hands, face and feet) and Cushing's disease, in which fat build-up occurs in the face, back and chest, accompanied by abnormal thinning of the arms and legs. Other problems may include low sperm count and loss of sex drive, as well as breast milk production in women who are neither nursing nor pregnant.

The Importance of Early Diagnosis

• Successful treatment of pituitary tumors is heavily dependent on early diagnosis. If you experience any combination of the main symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many of the symptoms mimic those of other ailments, and misdiagnosis is a real problem. Left untreated, pituitary tumors can cause damage to the brain, optic nerves and carotid arteries.

Treatment

• If you are positively diagnosed, your treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy or medications that either shrink tumors or block hormone secretion. If you are older, and your tumor is not causing serious harm, your doctor may elect to monitor its progress without immediately intervening. In younger patients, though, the possibilities for additional tumor growth make quick treatment the standard.

  While treatment may stem the growth of pituitary tumors, it can unfortunately have its own lasting effects. In particular, removal of a tumor may destroy the gland's ability to produce one or more hormones, creating a permanent need for synthetic replacements.