Pituitary Tumors

We offer our pituitary patients a complete approach to surgery, including minimally invasive options that can help you recover faster and leave no scarring.

A pituitary tumor, also called a pituitary gland tumor, is an abnormal growth of cells that occurs in the pituitary gland. Most of these tumors are benign (not cancer), and do not spread to other parts of the body.

People with pituitary tumors generally have a good prognosis, but even the most benign forms can regrow after treatment and become problematic. In rare cases, pituitary tumors can become cancerous.

The treatment recommended by your doctor largely depends on the symptoms you are having, if any. Symptoms are usually associated with the size and location of the tumor. Or symptoms may arise when a tumor secretes a hormone, resulting in a hormone imbalance in the body.

Surgery is the primary treatment recommended for most pituitary tumors. For many people, that’s the only treatment needed. Others, particularly those with prolactinomas, may need medications or radiation therapy.

Types of Pituitary Tumors
Most pituitary tumors are classified as pituitary adenomas. “Adenoma” refers to a benign tumor that begins in glandular tissue. Pituitary adenomas can become cancerous (called pituitary carcinomas), but these cases are extremely rare.

With the exception of nonfunctioning adenomas, pituitary gland adenomas are classified by the type of hormone they secrete.

• ACTH-Secreting Adenomas
• Growth Hormone–Secreting Adenomas
• Prolactin-Secreting Adenomas
• TSH-Secreting Adenomas
• Gonadotropin-Secreting Adenomas
• Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas

Pituitary Tumor Risk Factors
Certain rare inherited genetic conditions can increase a person’s chance of developing a pituitary tumor. These conditions include:

• multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) types 1 or 4, a syndrome that causes tumors to form in the endocrine glands, including the pituitary gland;
• McCune Albright syndrome, a rare condition that affects the bones, the skin, and the endocrine glands; and
• Carney complex, a rare disorder that causes skin spots and tumors of the skin, nervous system, and heart.