Who is most likely to get a pituitary tumor?

Older adults are more likely to be diagnosed with this type of tumor, but it can occur at any age. When a person aged 15 to 19 has a brain tumor, a pituitary gland tumor is a common subtype diagnosis (33% of brain tumors in this age group). Women are more likely to develop these tumors than men.

What is the cause of a pituitary tumor?

The causes of pituitary tumors are unknown. Some tumors are caused by hereditary disorders such as multiple endocrine neoplasia I (MEN I). The pituitary gland can be affected by other brain tumors that develop in the same part of the brain (skull base), resulting in similar symptoms.

Who is at risk for pituitary tumors?

However, the main risk factors are age and a family history of certain genetic conditions. Although they can occur at any age, pituitary tumors are more common as you age. No one is sure why, but the older you get, the higher your risk of developing a pituitary tumor.

How common are pituitary Tumours?

About 1 in 10 people will develop a pituitary adenoma in their lifetime. Some pituitary adenomas secrete one or more hormones in excess. Even when they are small in size, these endocrine-active pituitary tumors can cause hormonal imbalances that affect body functions. People can develop pituitary adenomas at any age.

What is the average age for pituitary tumor?

Pituitary adenomas can occur at any age but are more common in people in their 30s or 40s.

Diagnosing and Treating Pituitary Tumors - California Center for Pituitary Disorders at UCSF

Can stress cause pituitary tumors?

There are reliable research studies showing severe stress, childhood trauma, and/or physical trauma increase the likelihood of the development of a pituitary tumor.

Can you live a full life with a pituitary tumor?

There are currently medical, surgical, and radiation therapy options available to keep pituitary tumors under control and therefore most patients suffering from pituitary tumors enjoy normal lives and normal lifespans.

How fatal are pituitary tumors?

Pituitary tumors are common, but most are benign (noncancerous) and are almost never fatal. However, because the pituitary gland is located at the base of the skull, many pituitary tumors press against the optic nerves and thus cause vision problems.

Is a pituitary tumor a big deal?

Most pituitary tumors are not cancerous (benign). They don't spread to other parts of your body. But they can cause the pituitary to make too few or too many hormones, causing problems in the body. Pituitary tumors that make too many hormones will cause other glands to make more hormones.

Are pituitary tumors urgent?

However, because the pituitary gland affects important body functions, these tumors can cause serious symptoms and require specialized and often urgent treatment.

What does a pituitary headache feel like?

A person with pituitary tumor apoplexy usually has a sudden-onset, severe headache at the front of the head (either located on one side of the head or both) and/or behind one or both eyes.

What is the prevention of pituitary tumors?

Certain lifestyle changes (such as staying at a healthy weight or not smoking) can lower the risk for many types of cancer. But pituitary tumors have not been linked with any known outside risk factors. Because of this, there is no known way to prevent these tumors at this time.

What would be symptoms of a person with a pituitary tumor?

Do pituitary tumors run in families?

Most people who develop pituitary tumors don't have a family history of the disease. But rarely, pituitary tumors can run in families. Sometimes when pituitary tumors run in families, they are found as part of a genetic syndrome, often along with other types of tumors (see the next section).

Can a pituitary tumor just go away?

For some, treatment might make the tumor go away completely, and they won't need any more treatment. For others, the tumor might never go away completely, or they might need to keep getting medicines or other treatments to help keep the tumor in check.

What is the survival rate of pituitary tumor?

The 5-year survival rate for people with a pituitary gland tumor is 97%. Survival rates depend on the type of tumor, the person's age, and other factors. It is important to remember that statistics on survival rates for people with a pituitary gland tumor are an estimate.

How serious is pituitary tumor surgery?

Surgery for pituitary tumors is done in a very small space that is surrounded by important structures. Surgeons are extremely careful to limit any problems both during and after surgery. Still, very rarely, pituitary surgery might result in damage to the large arteries, brain tissue, or nerves near the pituitary.

How fast does a pituitary tumor grow?

Most pituitary tumors are slow growing, approximately 1-3mm/year.

Can a pituitary tumor be seen in an eye exam?

Did you know that regular eye exams, even if you do not wear glasses or contacts, can help discover eye conditions like a pituitary tumor, also known as a pituitary adenoma, before you even start to have symptoms? Watching out for pituitary tumors is only one reason you should have an annual eye exam.

When is a pituitary tumor an emergency?

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of acute pituitary apoplexy, including: Eye muscle weakness or vision loss. Sudden, severe headache. Low blood pressure (which can cause fainting)

What is the success rate of pituitary surgery?

The success rate is about 60% with growth-hormone secreting macroadenomas [2]. Some pituitary tumors remain surgically incurable due to invasion of the cavernous sinuses and other important structures.

Is there a blood test to detect pituitary tumor?

Blood tests help doctors detect many hormonal abnormalities associated with pituitary tumors. For example, a blood test can reveal high levels of the hormone prolactin, which occurs in a condition called hyperprolactinemia. This can indicate the presence of a pituitary tumor called a prolactinoma.

Will I get my vision back after removing a pituitary tumor?

In many cases, loss of vision can recover considerably after surgery or medical treatments. However, the extent of recovery depends on how long the visual loss has been present and how severe it is. Unfortunately, in some cases there is permanent visual loss, despite treatments for the pituitary tumor.

What percentage of pituitary tumors require surgery?

In over 90% of patients, medical therapy (pills) reduces tumor size and blood prolactin levels. In approximately 8-10% of patients, medical treatment is not adequately effective and surgery, and possibly radiation therapy, may be necessary.

Is memory loss a symptom of pituitary tumor?

The tumor may also press on the nerves that move the eye and cause double vision. If the tumor is very large it may press on other parts of the brain and cause problems with memory, weakness, or numbness. Some pituitary tumors may be observed without treatment because they may grow very slowly.