A pituitary tumor is a tumor that begins in the pituitary gland. Most pituitary tumors are not cancer. In fact, cancerous pituitary tumors are so rare that state and national cancer agencies keep no record of how many people get them each year. Benign (non-cancerous) pituitary tumors are also rare. About 3,000 people get them each year.

It depends on the type of tumor and how far it has invaded into the brain, as well as the patient's age and overall health. Three kinds of treatment are used: surgery (removing the tumor during an operation), radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays/proton beams to kill tumor cells) and drug therapy to shrink and sometimes eradicate the tumor. Drugs can also block the pituitary gland from making too much hormone.

Pituitary tumors that affect hormones may cause a variety of symptoms, which are related to high hormone levels and production. These symptoms will be different in children than in adults. Growth hormone-secreting adenomas in children may cause: Other more rare kinds of pituitary tumors cause other symptoms. It is important for anyone who is experiencing any unusual symptoms to see their doctor.

Autopsy reports and radiologic and MRI evidence from around the globe indicate that one out of every five people worldwide has a pituitary tumor. The earliest study took place in 1936, when Dr. R.T. Costello of the Mayo Foundation conducted a cadaver study and found pituitary tumors in 22.4 % of the population (Costello R.T. Subclinical adenoma of the pituitary gland. Am. J. Pathol. 1936; 12:205-214). Statistics have not changed much ever since.

No. There are more than a dozen very different disorders that result from pituitary tumors and disease. For example, if a tumor forms in an ACTH secreting pituitary cell, it could result in the overproduction of cortisol (Cushing's Disease) or the underproduction of cortisol (adrenal insufficiency, often referred to as Secondary Addison's Disease).

Certain factors can make one person more likely to get a pituitary tumor than another person. These are called risk factors. In some cancers, doctors have identified risk factors that can be avoided, such as smoking or sun exposure. With pituitary tumors, doctors are not sure what exactly causes pituitary tumors and only one risk factor has been identified. Most people who get a pituitary tumor have no known risk factors.

Hi. I'm a nursing student and I recently had a male patient, 64 yrs. old, who is diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus type 1, obesity, hypertension, a right below-the-knee amputation due to osteomyelitis, depression, chronic renal insufficiency, and a few other things, including poor wound healing. He has the typical Cushing's body type and the buffalo hump. He has no striae on his abdomen.

No. Tumors which secrete high amounts of the hormone prolactin usually respond to medical therapy so that surgery is not required. Small non-secretory tumors, less than one centimeter (termed a microadenoma), can sometimes be followed with serial MRIs to monitor for progressive enlargement before proceeding to surgery.

Pituitary Cyst : Any endocrine gland may develop a cyst. This occurs commonly in the ovaries and thyroid gland; a cyst in the pituitary gland is benign (not cancer). Many pituitary cysts cause no symptoms and don’t grow or enlarge. Only when they do, do they become symptomatic. They can cause headache and/or rarely interfere with normal pituitary function. If the cyst is large, loss of vision may occur.

No, pituitary tumors are usually benign. They grow very slowly and do not spread to other parts of the body.

No, these tumors are caused by an abnormality in the genetic material of the pituitary cell, which causes the cells to continue growing and dividing.

Any medical therapy for a pituitary tumor should reduce hormone overproduction by the tumor, and, ideally, decrease the size of the pituitary tumor so that any visual abnormality is corrected. Reduction in tumor size should improve or relieve headache associated with the tumor.

The pituitary is a small, pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain that functions as "The Master Gland." From its lofty position above the rest of the body it sends signals to the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, ovaries and testes, directing them to produce thyroid hormone, cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and many more. These hormones have dramatic effects on metabolism, blood pressure, sexuality, reproduction, and other vital body functions.

A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth of pituitary cells. Pituitary tumors can either be nonfunctional (that is they do not secrete hormones) or produce specific hormones, such as prolactin (causing infertility, decreased libido, and osteoporosis), growth hormone (causing acromegaly), ACTH (causing Cushing's), TSH (causing hypothyroidism), or be nonfunctional (that is they do not produce hormones).

The pituitary gland is a small gland located behind the nasal sinuses and above the roof of the mouth at the base of the skull. It is connected to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. Together, the two control the production of many of the important hormones in the body. The pituitary gland sits in a tight bony space and has little room to grow or expand when swollen or if there is a tumor.

CDI itself does not interfere with menstruation or fertility. However, it may be associated with these or other problems if the disease or injury that caused the DI also damages adjacent parts of the brain or pituitary where other hormones are normally produced. Head trauma is one of the things that can cause this kind of collateral damage, but it does not always do so. Therefore, each patient with CDI must be evaluated separately to determine if any of the other hormones have been affected.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (islet cell tumors) are much less common than tumors arising from the exocrine pancreas. Reports often indicate that there are about two to three thousand cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year - although autopsy indicates that there may be a higher incidence of these islet cell tumors than are diagnosed. About 75% of these tumors are "functioning.

The symptoms depend on the size of the tumor and the location. Symptoms are caused by damage to vital tissue and by pressure from the tumor or swelling, which may happen if the tumor blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

The causes of brain tumors are not known. Brain tumors are not contagious. They can occur at any age, although they are most common in children 3-12 years old and adults 40-70 years old. Risk factors include working in industries such as oil refining, rubber manufacturing and drug manufacturing; other studies show chemists and embalmers have higher incidence of brain tumors. Researchers also are looking at exposure to viruses as a possible cause.

There are primary and secondary brain tumors. Tumors that begin in brain tissue are known as primary tumors. Secondary tumors are when cancer spreads from another site to the brain, which is called metastasis. Brain tumors are classified by the type of tissue in which they begin. The most common brain tumors are gliomas. Astrocytomas arise from small, star-shaped cells called astrocytes. They may grow anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. In adults, astrocytomas most often arise in the cerebrum.

The doctor develops a treatment plan to fit each patient, depending on the patient’s age and general health and the type, location and size of the tumor. Brain tumors are treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Before treatment most patients are given steroids to reduce swelling. They may also be given anticonvulsant medications to prevent seizures. Surgery is the usual treatment for most brain tumors. To remove the tumor, the neurosurgeon makes an opening in the skull.

We don't know because funding for benign brain tumor research is virtually nonexistent. That's about to change. In October 2002, Congress passed the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act, which will force hospitals, clinics and doctors to report pituitary tumor incidence rates in the data collection of cancer registries. The problem remains diagnosis. No report of incidence rates is possible without it.

understanding of the molecular details of the relationship between cellular senescence and cancer has begun to emerge. Cells probably need to accumulate at least 4-6 mutations to become tumorigenic, and each mutation likely requires an expansion of the mutant clone to at least a million cells (20 doublings) before there are a sufficient number of cells in which the next mutation could occur.

A brain tumor diagnosis usually involves several steps, which can include a neurological examination, brain scan(s) and/or a biopsy. Should a child’s symptoms lead the doctor to suspect a tumor, a neurological examination will be given. This is a series of tests to measure the function of the child’s nervous system and physical and mental alertness. If responses to the neurological exam are not normal, the doctor may order a scan.

The standard treatments for brain tumors are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In some cases when the tumor is slow growing, the treatment team may delay surgery and use frequent scans to monitor the tumor's growth. Sometimes surgery alone will cure a brain tumor. In general, radiation and chemotherapy treatments are used as secondary or adjuvant treatments for tumors that cannot be managed using only surgery.

You can visit our Link Library for other pediatric resources or post a message on the NBTF Message Boards. In addition, you can call NBTF or contact the agencies below for more information and referrals. For a free copy of A Resource Guide for Parents of Children with Brain or Spinal Cord Tumors available in English and Spanish (Guia de recursos para padres de niños con tumors cerebrales o de médula espinal), contact the Childrens Brain Tumor Foundation at 866.228.HOPE (866.228.