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Strictly speaking pituitary adenomas aren’t brain tumours, but they have many similar symptoms and side-effects.
If you or someone you know has just been diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma, you may be worried about what this means. This is a natural way to feel. Our Support and Information team can help answer any questions you may have or provide a listening ear if you need one.
A pituitary adenoma is a tumour that develops from the tissue of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is found towards the base of the brain. It controls other glands within the body that in turn control many of the body's functions.
Pituitary adenomas are quite common, with 1 in 5 people estimated to have one at some point in their life. They are:
In some cases however, a pituitary adenoma can cause more serious symptoms.
Strictly speaking pituitary adenomas aren’t brain tumours. Although the pituitary gland is attached to the base of the brain and affects brain function, it's not technically part of the brain.
However, pituitary adenomas cause many similar symptoms and side-effects to many brain tumours. They can also grow upwards and press on the brain and its nerves.
For these reasons, all our support services are available to people with pituitary tumours.
If you’ve just been diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma and are about to have treatment, you may want to see what other people’s first treatment was. Use the First Treatment insight in BRIAN, which you can personalise to make it relevant to you.
BRIAN is our trusted online app where you can track your experience, compare it with others who’ve been there and get the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.
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Pituitary adenomas can cause symptoms either by affecting hormone production or by a large tumour pressing on surrounding brain tissue.
Hormone production
Our hormones regulate many important bodily functions and processes. Symptoms will depend on which hormone is affected. Possible symptoms of hormone-producing adenomas include:
From over-production
From under-production
Size of the tumour
The growth of a pituitary adenoma can put pressure on surrounding tissue, especially the optic nerve, causing vision loss or loss of peripheral (side) vision and other related problems. An increase in the pressure surrounding the optic nerve can be identified during an eye test.
Pituitary adenomas can also cause many of the same symptoms as other brain tumours.
If the only symptom relates to the levels of hormones produced, this can be managed by medication and is usually arranged by a neuro-endocrinologist.
If the size or growth of the tumour is of concern, then neurosurgery may be required. The surgery can be non-invasive by using instruments inserted through the nose.
Alternatively, stereotactic radiosurgery can be used to very accurately target the tumour with radiation. This causes much less damage to the healthy brain cells around the tumour than regular radiotherapy.
We don't fully understand what causes pituitary adenomas, although we do understand some of the risk factors involved.
It’s important to know that there is nothing you could have done, or avoided doing, that would have caused you or somebody you know to develop a brain tumour.
For most people, treatment can control or remove the tumour giving you a normal lifespan. But you may have to deal with its consequences, such as vision or hormonal issues.
It’s also hard not to worry about the tumour growing or coming back. It can help to talk to others in a similar situation about how they have learned to live with this uncertainty.
Our online brain tumour support groups are a great way to connect with other people who're affected by a brain tumour or you could find a local support group.
If you need someone to talk to or advice on where to get help, our Support and Information team is available by phone, email or live-chat.
By taking part in our Improving Brain Tumour Care surveys and sharing your experiences, you can help us improve treatment and care for everyone affected by a brain tumour.
If you have further questions, need to clarify any of the information on this page, or want to find out more about research and clinical trials, please contact our team:
0808 800 0004 (free from landlines and mobiles)
support@thebraintumourcharity.org
Phone lines open Mon-Fri, 09:00-17:00
clinicaltrials@thebraintumourcharity.org
You can also join our active online community - Join our online support groups.