Pituitary tumours start in the pituitary gland, which produces and helps regulate hormones. Pituitary tumours, sometimes called adenomas,
are usually benign (non-cancerous).Symptoms can be caused by a tumour producing extra hormones, or by not producing enough hormones. Other symptoms can be caused by the tumour pressing on the optic (eye) nerve. These include headaches and vision problems.
To diagnose a pituitary tumour, you will need different tests. These include blood tests, eye tests, and a CT scan or MRI scan.
Your specialist will talk to you about the best treatment for you and explain its benefits and disadvantages. Surgery is the most common treatment. The operation is done through the nose without having to open the skull. Radiotherapy is sometimes used after surgery. Some people with small tumours may have a specialised type of targeted radiotherapy called stereotactic radiosurgery.
Doctors often treat tumours that produce a hormone called prolactin with drugs that reduce prolactin levels.
If the whole pituitary gland is removed, you will need to take drugs to replace the hormones that are normally produced (hormone replacement).
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information ... mours.htmlUsually benign.
Benign means non cancerous but it doesn't mean none problematic.
I have benign tumours on three different parts of my spinal cord that give me all manner of problems but they aren't going to kill me.
The spinal cord sends and receives all the messages needed to and from tissue muscles organs etc.
The tumours interfere with all of that and cause a lot of pain loss of feeling weird feelings and so on.
The problem with tumours in your head which this is are they can quickly develop into vision problems headaches (pain) and a host of other problems.
First things first .... are they benign?
Find out.
If they are benign they'll want to operate before problems become to difficult.
It's quite common and operations are normally problem free.
All the best to you and your friend/loved one.
Pituitary tumours start in the pituitary gland, which produces and helps regulate hormones. Pituitary tumours, sometimes called adenomas, [i]are usually benign (non-cancerous).[/i]
Symptoms can be caused by a tumour producing extra hormones, or by not producing enough hormones. Other symptoms can be caused by the tumour pressing on the optic (eye) nerve. These include headaches and vision problems.
To diagnose a pituitary tumour, you will need different tests. These include blood tests, eye tests, and a CT scan or MRI scan.
Your specialist will talk to you about the best treatment for you and explain its benefits and disadvantages. Surgery is the most common treatment. The operation is done through the nose without having to open the skull. Radiotherapy is sometimes used after surgery. Some people with small tumours may have a specialised type of targeted radiotherapy called stereotactic radiosurgery.
Doctors often treat tumours that produce a hormone called prolactin with drugs that reduce prolactin levels.
If the whole pituitary gland is removed, you will need to take drugs to replace the hormones that are normally produced (hormone replacement). http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/brain-tumours/understanding-cancer/types-of-brain-tumour/pituitary-tumours.html
Usually benign.
Benign means non cancerous but it doesn't mean none problematic.
I have benign tumours on three different parts of my spinal cord that give me all manner of problems but they aren't going to kill me.
The spinal cord sends and receives all the messages needed to and from tissue muscles organs etc.
The tumours interfere with all of that and cause a lot of pain loss of feeling weird feelings and so on.
The problem with tumours in your head which this is are they can quickly develop into vision problems headaches (pain) and a host of other problems.
First things first .... are they benign?
Find out.
If they are benign they'll want to operate before problems become to difficult.
It's quite common and operations are normally problem free.
All the best to you and your friend/loved one.