Is a pituitary tumor serious?

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Pituitary tumors are mostly benign. The tumors grow slowly, but due to their special location adjacent to the pituitary gland, when the size of the pituitary tumor increases to a certain extent, it will inevitably affect the pituitary, impairing its function and leading to pituitary dysfunction. This dysfunction manifests as endocrine hormonal imbalances, resulting in a series of symptoms and signs. Therefore, it is usually recommended to treat pituitary tumors surgically. Clinically, it is generally advised to choose the transnasal transsphenoidal approach for complete resection of the pituitary tumor.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is a pituitary tumor easy to treat?

Currently, the treatment technology for pituitary tumors is relatively mature. For early-stage pituitary microadenomas that are only a few millimeters in size, and where vision and visual fields are not yet affected, a definite diagnosis can be made. Under the surgical microscope, complete removal surgery is achievable, and it is possible to preserve the normal function of the pituitary gland. As surgical experience continues to increase, not only can tumors within the sella be removed, but even large adenomas or giant pituitary adenomas growing above the sella can be safely excised. Therefore, for patients with pituitary tumors, it is advisable to choose to visit a local hospital as early as possible and opt for a complete removal of the pituitary tumor through a transnasal transsphenoidal approach.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Are pituitary tumors prone to recurrence?

Pituitary tumors in the brain are benign tumors that grow slowly. When the tumor size is relatively small, there are generally no clear symptoms or signs, and most patients can work, live, and study like normal people. It is recommended to treat pituitary tumors with surgical methods. Most pituitary tumors are benign. If they can be completely removed through microscopic surgery, or through the transnasal transsphenoidal approach, minimally invasive surgery can achieve ideal treatment results and generally will not recur. However, for individual patients with pituitary tumors, if the tumor is malignant, it may easily adhere to surrounding tissues in the early stages, making it difficult to completely remove surgically, thus it is prone to recurrence.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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What should I do about a pituitary tumor?

When a pituitary tumor occurs, we generally recommend surgery as the treatment method. Of course, specific analysis should be done based on the individual circumstances of the patient before surgery. In cases where the tumor is small and there are no obvious clinical symptoms—discovered incidentally during other related examinations—such patients can temporarily take medication and should be closely monitored with regular follow-ups to observe any changes in their condition. However, for patients who have clear clinical symptoms and display endocrine hormone imbalances, such as men experiencing significant erectile dysfunction and women having menstrual disorders, surgery is generally recommended as the treatment method.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is a 2cm pituitary tumor big?

In the case of pituitary tumors, if the size reaches two centimeters, it is relatively large. Under normal circumstances, pituitary tumors can be classified into several types based on their size: microadenomas are generally smaller than one centimeter, macroadenomas are larger than 1.0 centimeter, and giant adenomas are larger than 3.0 centimeters. Usually, a two-centimeter pituitary tumor is already considered a macroadenoma. Normally, such large pituitary tumors often compress the surrounding pituitary tissue, causing hypofunction of the pituitary tissue and significant hormonal disturbances, which can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms and signs in patients.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Can pituitary tumors heal on their own?

Under normal circumstances, pituitary tumors generally do not heal spontaneously. Pituitary tumors are benign tumors and although they grow slowly, they tend to continue growing. When they enlarge to a certain extent, they produce a series of symptoms and signs, such as headaches behind the eye sockets, the forehead, and both temporal sides. If the tumor breaks through the sellar diaphragm, it might also affect the optic nerve, leading to decreased vision and visual field defects. Moreover, it can severely erode the pituitary gland, causing symptoms and signs like decreased pituitary function, endocrine hormone disorders, and bringing significant suffering to the patient.