Pituitary adenomas are common, slow-growing and benign tumors of the pituitary gland. Pituitary gland is the master hormone gland of our body located at the base of brain. It regulates the body’s hormones by releasing special hormones into the bloodstream.
Facts about Pituitary adenomas
- Can develop at any age
- Up to 10% of people can have a pituitary adenoma by the time of their death
- Most pituitary adenomas are in the front part (anterior lobe) of the pituitary gland
- Tiny, microscopic pituitary adenomas never grow or cause problems and are accidently diagnosed when a patient undergoes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain for another reason
Types of Pituitary adenomas
Pituitary adenomas are classified according to their size, aggressiveness and whether they produce hormones.
Classification according to size:
- Micro adenoma: Pituitary tumor less than 10 mm in diameter in size
- Macro adenoma: Pituitary tumor equal to or larger than 10 mm in size
Cause of Pituitary adenomas
Pituitary adenomas are not known to be associated with any specific cause and occur spontaneously. They are not inherited but there are some cases of familial pituitary tumors. Following factors may increase the risk of pituitary adenoma:
- Gigantism
- Young onset of acromegaly
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1)
Symptoms of Pituitary adenoma
The symptoms depend upon the size, nature and hormone production of tumor. It includes:
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Blurry vision
- Colors not perceived as bright as usual
- Menstrual cycle changes in women
- Mood swings or behavior changes
- Erectile dysfunction
- Weight change
- Loss of body and facial hair
- Infertility
- Galactorrhoea
- Reproductive dysfunction
- Hypertension
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cardiovascular disease
Diagnosis of Pituitary adenoma:
Diagnosis requires any or all of the following:
- Medical history
- Physical findings
- Blood and urine tests to measure hormone levels of PRL, GH, IGF-1, free thyroxine, cortisol, and testosterone (in males)
- High-resolution, T1 weighted, gadolinium enhanced MRI
- Computed tomography (CT)
Treatment of Pituitary adenoma:
Treatment is done by specialized endocrinologists and oncologists. It depends upon size, extent and hormone production status of the tumor.
- Endonasal transphenoidal endoscopic surgery
- Medical therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Observation
