Pituitary Tumors
Summary
Your pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland at the base of your brain. The pituitary is the “master control gland” – it makes hormones that affect growth and the functions of other glands in the body.
Pituitary tumors are common, but often they don’t cause health problems. Most people with pituitary tumors never even know they have them. The most common type of pituitary tumor produces hormones and disrupts the balance of hormones in your body. This can cause endocrine diseases such as Cushing’s syndrome and hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms of pituitary tumors include:
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Nausea and vomiting
- Problems caused by the production of too many hormones
Pituitary tumors are usually curable. Treatment is often surgery to remove the tumor. Other options include medicines, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
- About Pituitary Tumors
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish - General Information about Pituitary Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Pituitary Tumors (Endocrine Society)
- Pituitary Tumors (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
- What Are Pituitary Tumors? (American Cancer Society)
