Pituitary tumors

A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth that forms at the base of your skull right below your brain and above your nasal passages in an area called the pituitary gland. While they are rarely cancerous, pituitary tumors can still impact your health in a variety of ways. Non-cancerous tumors are also called pituitary adenomas.

The pituitary gland is often called the “master gland” because it impacts many important bodily functions, including growth rate, sexual reproduction, and organ and gland function. This means a tumor in the pituitary gland can lead to other serious health issues. These tumors can also impact vision and memory.

The Penn Pituitary Center is a national leader in pituitary tumor diagnosis and treatment. Our patients enjoy the fastest recovery times in the country and experience the lowest rates of complication. Patients diagnosed with pituitary tumors are usually seen within a week of making an appointment.  

There are two main types of pituitary tumors: 

• Functioning: These tumors create changes in hormone production. They can affect growth, thyroid health, blood sugar, immunity, and many other important biological functions. Functioning tumors have several different subtypes that your doctor can explain to you based on your symptoms and the likelihood of diagnosis.
• Non-functioning: While non-functioning tumors don’t cause hormonal changes, they can still cause symptoms by putting pressure on the brain and eyes.

Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, or you suspect you may have one, you’ll want expert, compassionate treatment from leading pituitary specialists. The Penn Pituitary Center is one of the nation’s only treatment centers dedicated solely to treating pituitary conditions. We provide patients with the latest in minimally invasive treatments and advanced diagnostic approaches.

Our care team works across multiple specialty areas, such as endocrinology, neurosurgery, and otolaryngology (ENT), to collaborate on your diagnosis and develop a well-rounded treatment plan that’s right for you. 

Symptoms of pituitary tumors vary based on type as well as size, location, and the parts of the body they affect. Many patients with pituitary tumors don’t experience any symptoms at all. If you do have symptoms, they usually occur due to tumor pressure and hormonal changes and can include:

• Headache and migraine
• Rapid growth 
• Blurred vision and drooping eyelids
• Sudden and inexplicable facial pain
• Seizures
• Changes in weight and menstrual cycle
• Decreased libido 
• Rounded face and other changes in facial features
• Extreme changes in body temperature;
• Thickening of body hair
• Acne and skin discoloration
• Extreme changes in mood
• Changes in blood sugar

These symptoms may be concerning at first, but many of them can be managed or even eliminated once your care team diagnoses and treats your tumor.

While the exact cause of pituitary tumors is unknown, they are linked to uncontrolled cell growth in the pituitary gland. Some research indicates that these tumors can be caused by stress. In other cases, they can be traced to genetics, but most occur for unknown reasons.