Pituitary Tumor Symptoms

Pituitary gland is an endocrine gland located at the base of the brain, as a pea-sized protrusion. This gland secretes hormones that are vital for several bodily functions like the function of the thyroid gland, absorption of water into kidneys, production of breast milk, regulation of temperature and functions of the sex organs. Tumors are among some of the common pituitary gland disorders. Studies show that around 20% of humans develop pituitary tumors and most of these tumors are found to be non cancerous. Some people do not develop any symptoms and the condition may remain undetected during their entire lifetime. But others may develop pituitary tumor symptoms that can vary as per the size and location of the tumor.

Pituitary Tumor Types

As mentioned above, pituitary gland tumor symptoms may vary from one patient to another. Such tumors are classified into different types, as per the nature, size and location. Basically, they are classified as cancerous and non cancerous. Non cancerous tumors are called adenomas, which are further classified on the basis of size. Tumors that are less than 10 millimeters in size are microadenomas and more than that size are macroadenomas. Cancerous tumors are called carcinomas.

Pituitary adenomas are further divided into functioning and non functioning ones. Functional pituitary adenomas produce pituitary hormones and the non functional ones do not produce hormones. Functional ones are categorized as per the type of hormone produced. The most common among functional pituitary adenomas are prolactinoma or prolactin-producing tumors. It is followed by growth hormone producing adenomas, ACTH-producing adenomas and thyroid hormone producing adenomas. Pituitary tumor signs and symptoms may vary with these different types of tumors.

Symptoms of Pituitary Tumor

In case, it is a macroadenoma, i.e, a larger one, it can exert pressure on the nearby areas, causing symptoms like weakness, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headache, complete or partial vision loss or vision problems, constipation, weight loss or weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

In case of prolactinoma, symptoms are caused by the high levels of hormone prolactin. In this case, pituitary tumor symptoms in women include changes in the menstruation like irregular or no periods, change in menstrual flow, infertility, vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse and milky discharge from breasts. Such symptoms in men, in case of prolactinoma is impotence, erectile dysfunction, enlargement of breasts, decrease in body hair and loss of sexual desire. Both genders may show signs of vision problems and headaches.

In affected people, pituitary gland may produce high levels of thyroid stimulating hormone, causing hyperthyroidism. This causes symptoms like rapid heartbeat, nervousness, excess consumption of food, excessive sweating, sudden weight loss, irritability, heat sensitivity and frequent bowel movements. These symptoms are caused by thyroid hormone producing pituitary adenomas.

If the tumor of the pituitary is ACTH-producing adenoma, the symptoms can be weight gain characterized by fat accumulation on the lower back and mid section. The affected person may also experience skin problems like acne and stretch marks, excessive hair growth, muscle weakness, diabetes, retardation of growth, osteoporosis and irritability. In this case, the symptoms may include decrease in sexual desire, menstrual disorders in women and impotence in men. These symptoms are caused by excess levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone produced by the tumor and this hormone stimulates the production of hormone cortisol in excess amounts, causing Cushing's syndrome, that results in these symptoms.

Another type of functional pituitary adenoma is growth hormone producing adenoma that can cause impotence, carpal tunnel syndrome and sleep apnea. In case of young children with this condition, excessive growth can happen. Pituitary tumor symptoms in children differ in those who have gone through puberty. In such children, the bones may have stopped growing and so the excess growth hormones cause enlargement of hands, feet, lips and nose, and this condition is termed acromegaly. Apart from these acromegaly symptoms, the patient may also develop high blood pressure and heart problems.

In case of non-functioning adenomas, the person may experience headache and vision problems. In case, these tumors are large in size and affect the functioning area of the gland, such conditions may cause symptoms that depend on the location affected. The diagnosis of pituitary gland tumors are done with the help of blood and urine tests to detect the level of hormones produced by the endocrine glands. Brain imaging and vision tests are also conducted to diagnose the condition. Treatment for this condition includes surgical removal of the tumors or radiation therapy to destroy them. Even medication play a vital role in treating this condition. In some patients, watchful waiting without treatment is considered more beneficial. However, early diagnosis and treatment is always considered to be the best.