Giant Pituitary Tumor: Signs, Causes, and Further Details
Pituitary macroadenomas are benign tumors that grow in the pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of the brain behind the bridge of the nose. These tumors, typically ranging from 10-40 millimeters in size, can cause a variety of symptoms and potentially require medical intervention.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Pituitary macroadenomas can cause symptoms by putting pressure on surrounding areas and secreting excess hormones. Common symptoms associated with these tumors include:
- Headaches, often due to tumor size and pressure on surrounding structures.
- Visual disturbances, such as loss of peripheral vision (bitemporal hemianopsia), double vision, or drooping eyelids caused by compression of the optic chiasm or nearby optic nerves.
- Hormonal imbalances, which vary depending on whether the tumor secretes hormones (functional) or not (nonfunctional):
- For prolactin-secreting macroadenomas (macroprolactinomas), symptoms include menstrual irregularities, galactorrhea (milk secretion unrelated to breastfeeding), decreased libido, infertility, erectile dysfunction in men, and changes in body hair or breast size.
- Nonsecretory large adenomas can cause hypopituitarism (deficiency of normal pituitary hormones), leading to symptoms like fatigue, weakness, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, and cold intolerance.
Doctors may discover a pituitary adenoma by accident during a CT scan. To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions, such as an aneurysm, they may order an MRI scan with a gadolinium contrast. They may also order tests to check for hypopituitarism (a lack of pituitary hormones) and hypersecretion (too many pituitary hormones).
Treatment and Outlook
Surgery (transsphenoidal tumor resection) may be recommended for nonfunctioning macroadenomas in cases of bleeding, significant growth, compression of optic nerves, visual field deficit, loss of endocrine function, or other symptoms. For functioning macroadenomas, doctors may initially opt for medications like dopamine agonists to correct hormone levels. The outlook for people with nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas is generally good when treated early. People with functioning adenomas may have a worse outlook.
It's important to note that the exact cause of pituitary macroadenomas is unknown. While genetic mutations are rarely a characteristic of these tumors, a complete biochemical assessment is recommended to check the levels of various hormones.
Pituitary macroadenomas, unlike some other types of brain tumors, are not typically cancerous. However, if left untreated, they can lead to serious complications. Therefore, it's crucial to seek medical attention if you experience any symptoms related to these tumors.
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pituitary tumors. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pituitary-tumors/symptoms-causes/syc-20353469 [2] Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021). Pituitary tumors. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/centers_clinics/pituitary_center/conditions/pituitary_tumors.html [3] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2021). Pituitary tumors. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Pituitary-Tumors-Information-Page [4] American Cancer Society. (2021). Pituitary tumors. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pituitary-tumor.html [5] American Academy of Neurology. (2021). Pituitary tumors. https://www.aan.com/patients/disease-information/pituitary-tumors
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