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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.
Symptoms
- What Are the Symptoms of Pituitary Tumors? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Brain MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Growth Hormone Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Prolactin Levels (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Stages of Pituitary Tumors (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Tests for Pituitary Tumors (American Cancer Society)
- TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Pituitary Tumors Treatment (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment Option Overview (Pituitary Tumors) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Living as a Pituitary Tumor Survivor (American Cancer Society)
Specifics
- Prolactinoma (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Genetics
- Familial isolated pituitary adenoma: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
- Risk Factors for Pituitary Tumors (American Cancer Society)
Videos and Tutorials
- Pituitary gland (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Key Statistics about Pituitary Tumors (American Cancer Society)
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pituitary Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Prolactinoma (National Institutes of Health)
Find an Expert
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish
- Find an Endocrinologist (Endocrine Society)
- National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish
Children
- General Information about Childhood Craniopharyngioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Stages of Childhood Craniopharyngioma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Craniopharyngioma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Craniopharyngioma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pituitary tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Prolactin blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Prolactinoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish