Benign Pituitary Tumors in Children

The pituitary gland is responsible for the majority of the hormones essential to the growth and development of the human body. Tumors in this area of the brain primarily occur in children and adolescents. According to the American Cancer Society, "Almost all pituitary tumors are benign," however due to the importance of gland and the hormones it produces, these tumors can still wreak havoc on the development and growth of afflicted children and adolescents.

Basics

• Located behind and between the eyes, the pituitary gland is about the size of a pea. This tiny gland controls the production of hormones involved in metabolism, blood pressure, sexuality, reproduction and various other body functions. The pituitary gland also regulates the activity of other glands throughout the rest of the body.

Tumors

• A tumor on the pituitary gland will be classified as either secretory, which causes the gland to produce too much of a particular hormone, or nonsecretory, which is threatening due to its size. Whether the tumor is secretory or nonsecretory, three general problems arise from its development: hypersecretion, hyposecretion and tumor-mass effects.

  Hypersecretion occurs when there is an overproduction of certain hormones.

  Hyposecretion occurs when there is an underproduction of essential hormones. This condition can occur in a nonsecretory or secretory tumor.

  Tumor-mass effects occurs when the tumor becomes so large that it applies pressure to areas and organs around the gland. These areas include the ocular nerve and eyes, and other areas of the brain.

Symptoms

• Because the pituitary gland controls and effects so much of body function, any disruption to the activity of the gland can affect growth, mood, focus and concentration. Also, due to its wide range of functions, symptoms for pituitary gland tumors vary based on size, location and the resulting pressure. For example, a tumor that results in pressure on the optic nerve could cause vision problems and headaches.

  General symptoms associated with tumors include fatigue, vomiting, headaches, excessive sweating, a loss of appetite, delayed growth and dizziness. However, the majority of symptoms are often related to hormone-production problems. Hormone-production problems result in a variety of symptoms, from slow sexual development to Cushing's syndrome or obesity.

Diagnosis and Testing

• There are a variety of tests and tactics to detect tumors on the pituitary gland. For large tumors, doctors may use an X-ray, computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance scan. For smaller tumors, doctors try to detect hormone deficiencies or abnormalities. Doctors may use blood or urine tests or a glucose-tolerance test. Occasionally an invasive procedure may be required to detect a pituitary gland tumor. For this test, doctors often use an inferior petrosal sinus sampling. KidsNeeds.com describes an inferior petrosal sinus sampling as when "a radiologist inserts special catheters from the groin veins into the vessels that drain the pituitary gland at the top of the neck and draws blood for measurement of the hormone that the tumor secretes."

Treatment

• Benign pituitary gland tumors will not spread to other parts of the body, and are generally slow to develop. This means that once a tumor has been diagnosed, doctors may use a range of treatments. Each option is dependent on the size and position of the tumor. Some doctors will suggest removal of the tumor via microsurgery (a surgery performed under a surgical microscope). Other options include radiation therapy, drugs or a combination of these treatments.

  Doctors can also prescribe treatments or drugs for the side effects related to pituitary gland tumors. These treatments can replace or stimulate missing hormones, or reduce the production of certain hormones.