What is Pituitary Adenoma

A pituitary adenoma is an abnormal, benign(non-cancerous) tumor or growth in the pituitary gland that does not spread beyond the skull.

What are Causes of Pituitary Adenoma?

• Genetic
• Inherited from parents
• Radiation exposure
• Chemical exposure

What are Symptoms of Pituitary Adenoma?

• Headache
• Peripheral vision loss
• Menstrual problems in women
• An erectile dysfunction of men
• Infertility
• Inappropriate lactation
• Cushing's syndrome- a combination of weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and easy bruising that is caused by overproduction of the hormone Adreno Cortico Tropic Hormone(ACTH)
• Acromegaly-enlargement of the arms or legs and thickening of the skull and jaw caused by too much growth hormone

How is Pituitary Adenoma Diagnosed?

• CT_SCAN
• MRI_SCAN
• VISUAL FIELD TEST-If you have visual problems.
• BLOOD TEST
• URINE TEST

What is Treatment For Pituitary Adenoma?

Three types of radiation suggested –
Standard External Beam Radiation therapy
Standard external beam radiation therapy uses photons. These photons are generated using a linear accelerator. Treatment is generally delivered in fractions, one "fraction" per day.

Proton Beam Treatment-
Proton beam treatment employs a type of radiation called protons. Proton therapy can generally be more effective than photon therapy, with the ability to deliver higher doses of radioactivity.

Higher doses of proton radiation have better chances of tumor control and pose a more increased risk of surrounding normal brain tissue.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery-
Stereotactic radiosurgery combines standard external beam radiotherapy with a technique that focuses the radiation through many different portals. Stereotactic radiosurgery treatment tends to cause less damage to tissues adjacent to the pituitary gland and can be delivered fewer appointments.

Medication
The most commonly used drugs are bromocriptine or cabergoline. Using these drugs, the tumor size will be reduced to varying degrees, resulting in improved vision, resolution of headaches, and restored menstruation and in women.

• SURGERY

Anterior Skull Base Surgery for Pituitary Adenoma

• Anterior skull base surgery procedures are performed within the skull base behind the nose.
• The surgery has been transformed over the last decade, with minimally invasive techniques replacing open surgery in many cases.
• Our top surgeons can now remove unimaginably large tumors through the nostrils instead of incisions, using the face's natural openings and manipulating tiny endoscopes to navigate to the lesions.
• Minimally invasive endoscopic skull base surgery is an option for a pituitary tumor. Although these tumors are benign, they cause hormonal problems, i.e., tumors may destroy hormone-producing cells or secrete hormones themselves, or they may cause problems with vision, growth, fertility, or balance. Many are inaccessible through open surgery, and for those patients, the endonasal route, through the nostrils, represents the only hope for a cure.