Pituitary Tumor & Endocrine Neurosurgery

Subtitle

Integrated care for hormone-related and non-functioning pituitary tumors

Overview

Pituitary tumors arise from the pituitary gland and are usually benign, but they can affect hormone balance, vision, and neurological function. Management often requires close collaboration between neurosurgery, endocrinology, neuroradiology, and ophthalmology.

Key Facts

Incidence

Clinically relevant pituitary tumors have an annual incidence of about 4 per 100,000 people, with recent registry data also showing a similar range.

Symptoms

Common symptoms may include headache, blurred vision, visual field loss, menstrual irregularities, infertility, fatigue, reduced libido, or hormone excess syndromes.

Diagnosis

Assessment typically includes pituitary MRI, hormone testing, and visual field examination when the tumor is close to the optic pathway.

Treatment Options

Treatment may include medical therapy, transsphenoidal surgery, radiotherapy, and long-term endocrine follow-up.

Recurrence Tendency

Some pituitary tumors remain stable for years, while others regrow after surgery, especially when residual tumor remains. Recurrent disease may require repeat surgery, radiosurgery, radiotherapy, or subtype-specific medical therapy.