Is a tumor on the pituitary gland serious?
Most pituitary tumors are not cancerous (benign). They don’t spread to other parts of your body. But they can cause the pituitary to make too few or too many hormones, causing problems in the body. Pituitary tumors that make too many hormones will cause other glands to make more hormones.
What is the survival rate for pituitary tumor?
The 5-year survival rate tells you what percent of people live at least 5 years after the tumor is found. Percent means how many out of 100. The 5-year survival rate for people with a pituitary gland tumor is 97%.
What would be symptoms of a person with a pituitary tumor?
Signs and symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Weakness.
- Feeling cold.
- Less frequent or no menstrual periods.
- Sexual dysfunction.
- Increased amount of urine.
- Unintended weight loss or gain.
Can pituitary tumors be life threatening?
Vision problems occur when the tumor “pinches” the nerves that run between the eyes and the brain. Sudden loss of vision, loss of consciousness, and even death can result from sudden bleeding into the tumor. Macroadenomas and pituitary carcinomas can also press on and destroy the normal parts of the pituitary gland.
Is a pituitary tumor considered a brain tumor?
“Pituitary tumours arise from the pituitary gland that lies on the floor on the inside of the skull, underneath and separate from the brain, back behind the eyes. These are not brain tumours, and the pituitary is not part of the brain itself.
Can you live a normal life with a pituitary tumor?
In general, when a pituitary tumor is not cured, people live out their lives but may have to deal with problems caused by the tumor or its treatment, such as vision problems or hormone levels that are too high or too low.
How do they remove a tumor from the pituitary gland?
Endoscopic pituitary surgery, also called transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery, is the most common surgery used to remove pituitary tumors. The pituitary gland is located at the bottom of your brain and above the inside of your nose.
When should a pituitary tumor be removed?
Surgical removal of a pituitary tumor usually is necessary if the tumor is pressing on the optic nerves or if the tumor is overproducing certain hormones. The success of surgery depends on the tumor type, its location, its size and whether the tumor has invaded surrounding tissues.
How successful is pituitary tumor surgery?
The success rate is about 60% with growth-hormone secreting macroadenomas [2]. Some pituitary tumors remain surgically incurable due to invasion of the cavernous sinuses and other important structures.
How serious is pituitary tumor surgery?
Surgery on the pituitary gland is a serious operation, and surgeons are very careful to try to limit any problems either during or after surgery.
How long do you stay in the hospital after pituitary tumor surgery?
Recovery Time at the Hospital
A typical hospital admission for patients undergoing pituitary tumor surgery lasts 2 to 3 days; overnight in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 1or 2 more on the nursing floor.
How painful is pituitary surgery?
Will there be much pain or discomfort? Most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort for several days after surgery. The amount of discomfort varies from patient to patient, with some requiring only mild pain medications for a day or two whereas a minority of patients require pain medications for several weeks.
How long is recovery for pituitary tumor surgery?
It can take up to 6 weeks to fully recover. The cuts the doctor made (incisions) may be sore for about 5 days after surgery. You may also have numbness and shooting pains near your wound, or swelling and bruising around your eyes. As your wound starts to heal, it may start to itch.