The pituitary gland is a bean-sized gland located in the lower part of the brain, secreting various hormones and directing the other glands of the body like a conductor. 8 different hormones are secreted from the pituitary gland. These hormones enable other glands in the body to work as well. The pituitary gland, which is responsible for the secretion of important hormones such as prolactin (milk-releasing hormone), growth, TSH (provides the production of thyroid hormone) and ACHT (adrenal gland stimulating hormone), may be exposed to benign cysts. These masses that prevent hormones from working properly are called pituitary tumors. Tumors in the pituitary are not cancerous.
Pituitary Tumor Symptoms
– Headache
– Vision problems
– Menstrual irregularities
– Impotence
– Infertility
– Growth
– Cushing’s disease
– Fatigue
– Altered mood
Complaints caused by pituitary tumor compression of the mass or it may be due to the hormone it secretes. Which hormone is impaired, the patient’s complaints change accordingly. For example, in tumors of the pituitary gland that secrete prolactin, menstrual bleeding may stop and milk may come from the breast. In men, it can cause problems such as sexual reluctance, headache and vision loss. Pituitary tumors that secrete growth hormone can cause children to become gigantic, and adults to enlarge hands, feet, and jaws. Pituitary tumors that secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone may reveal Cushing’s disease. This can cause symptoms such as weight gain, excessive hair growth, menstrual irregularity, and high blood pressure.
Pituitary Tumor Treatment
There are three approaches in the treatment of pituitary tumors: medication, surgery and radiation. Excess hormone secretion can be controlled with medication. However, when the drug is stopped, hormone secretion usually returns to its previous level. Therefore, the patient may need to use the drug throughout his life. In surgery, the aim is to decompress the tumor and to reduce the mass to provide better results from additional drug therapy. Especially ACHT-secreting pituitary tumors are definitely treated with surgery. Pituitary tumors that secrete growth hormone are operated first, if full treatment cannot be provided, they are supported by medication or radiation therapy. Pituitary tumors that do not secrete any hormones are usually treated surgically, as they cause visual loss due to mass effect. Tumors that cannot be controlled by drug therapy and surgery or are located in places that are considered risky to be reached by surgery are treated with radiation therapy.
Pituitary Tumor Surgery
It is usually performed with the transsphenoidal method. This surgery, which is performed through the nose without making any incisions in the skull, has many advantages. The risk of complications is much less, the recovery time is shorter. It can be done endoscopically or microsurgically. Small instruments are entered through the nostril and the tumor is reached through the sphenoid bone. The brain is not interfered with in any way. In some cases, the transsphenoidal method may be insufficient and the skull may need to be opened.
