What are Pituitary Tumors?

The benign tumors generally do not spread outside the position skull. They generally stay in the sella-turcica which is the tiny space in the skull in which the pituitary gland is located  in. Few times they grow into the boney walls of specifically the turcica and surrounding tissues which involve  blood vessels, nerves, and sinuses. Generally that don’t grow very big, but they can have a great effect a particular person’s health.

There is very small room generally for tumors to expand  in this particular part of the skull. So, if in case the tumor gets bigger than about a centimeter or particularly about half an inch across, it may evolve upward, where it can press on and destroy  surrounding  parts of the brain and the nerves that originate  from it. This can lead to issues like vision changes or mild headaches.

Microadenomas

Microadenomas are tumors that are tinier than 1 centimeter (cm) aproxx. Although  these tumors are tiny , they do not damage the entire  of the pituitary or surrounding tissues. But they can lead to symptoms if they make high amount of a certain hormone. There are generally who have very  small adenomas that are not found as they don't grow big  enough or produce enough hormones to lead to an isssue.

Macroadenomas are the tumors of  1 cm across or larger. Macroadenomas can also affect a particular individual's health majorly in two ways. Initially,  they can cause signs if they make good or high amount  of a certain hormone. Secondly, they can lead to the symptoms by pressing on regular  parts of the pituitary or on nearby nerves, like  the optic nerves.

Functional adenomas: Generally,  the pituitary adenomas that are found and make high amount of hormones. The hormones can be identified blood tests or by tests of the tumor when it is separated with surgery. Relying on these results, pituitary adenomas are subjected as:

Lactotroph adenomas produce prolactin and  about 4 out of about 10 pituitary tumors.

Somatotroph adenomas make production of hormones and sum up about 2 in out of 10 pituitary tumors.

Corticotroph adenomas make ACTH hormone particularly and majorly produce for about 1 in about  10 pituitary tumors.

Gonadotroph adenomas make Leutinising Hormones and  Follicle Stimulating Hormonez and are very rare types.

Thyrotroph adenomas make Thyroid Stimulating Hormone  and are generally  very rare.

Plurihormonal adenomas make more than about one hormone.

Non-functional adenomas: Pituitary adenomas that generally don’t make high amount of hormones are known as non-functional adenomas or particularly  null cell adenomas. They majorly account about 3 in 10 of all pituitary tumors that are discovered. They are mostly discovered as macroadenomas, leading to symptoms because of their size as they press on the surrounding structures.

Pituitary carcinomas

Pituitary carcinomas look similar to pituitary adenomas when observed under a microscope, generally  doctors have problems in separating  them apart. In fact, the only method to tell if a pituitary tumor is a carcinoma and not  particularly an adenoma is generally when the tumor goes to another part of the body and necessarily  near the pituitary gland. Mostly,  pituitary carcinoma goes to the part of brain, spinal cord, meninges which is the covering of the brain and the spinal cord, or bone surrounding pituitary.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting (ACTH) tumors-

Thr ACTH tumors generate the hormone adrenocorticotropin, which enhances your adrenal glands to make the hormone  called as cortisol. The Cushing's syndrome is an outcome from your adrenal glands generating high amount of cortisol. It results into fat deposition around your midsection and upper area of the back,  facial roundness increases too much, Arms and legs muscle gets too much  weakness,  blood pressure gets increased, blood sugar levels also rises up, Acne is also one of the symptom of ACTH tumors, Bone gets  weakened with some Bruising,  stretch marks also appears, anxiety, irritability and  depression are also the signs of ACTH tumors.

Growth hormone-secreting tumors-

These tumors result in too much production of growth hormone or acromegaly, which can lead to Coarsened appearance of  facial features, big hands and feet, Excessive sweating, High levels of blood sugar, certain heart problems, pain in joints, disorganised teeth, Increased body hair growth, Children and adolescents growth is either  too fast or too tall.

Prolactin-secreting tumors

Excessive production  of prolactin from a pituitary tumor or prolactinoma can lead to reduction  in regular  levels of sex hormones like estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Overproduction of prolactin in the blood affects men and women quite differently.

In women, prolactinoma can lead to Irregular menstrual periods, absence of menstrual periods and whity or milky discharge from the breasts. In men, a prolactin-producing tumor can lead to  male hypogonadism. Signs and symptoms are Erectile dysfunctioning, decrease in sperm count, Loss of sex urge, growth in breasts.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone-secreting tumors-  When the pituitary tumor excessively produce thyroid-stimulating hormone, your thyroid gland produce  too much of the hormone thyroxine. This is a complicated cause of hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism can boost  your body's metabolism processes, leading to excessive weight loss, irregular heartbeats, Nervousness, common and rapid bowel movements and too much sweating.

What does the surgery involve?

The  pituitary gland is managed through  the nasal cavity and sinuses and no possible visible cuts are processed . The tumor is treated  using an endoscope or particularly a microscope. In certain cases, the tumor may have to be separated in  front of the skull or craniotomy. Surgery is basically the first-line method of treatment for all tumors leaving prolactinomas.

Radiation therapy aims and damages the particular cells. Radiosurgery is a aimed radiotherapy that has enhanced the accuracy and reduced the complications of treating pituitary tumors. Radiosurgery is involved in conjunction with surgery and some medications to regulate the growth of tumors or to terminate  the activity of hormone producing tumors.

Medication to minimise the tumor and terminate it from producing hormones. Medication is the first aspect of treatment for prolactinoma. Hormone replacement therapy can  also be used in cases of pituitary hypofunction or the  post-operatively.