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Pituitary tumor

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Tumor - pituitary

Symptoms:

Symptoms associated with pituitary tumors include:

• Headache
• Visual changes
  • Double vision
  • Drooping eyelids
• Personality changes
  • Decreased sexual interest
  • Irritability
• Seizures
• Nasal drainage
• Skin changes
• Facial changes
  • Moon face , puffy eyes
  • Enlarged jaw and facial bones
• Hair changes
  • Loss of body hair
  • Coarse, thin head hair
  • Thinning of eyebrows
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Temperature sensitivity
  • Intolerance to cold
  • Intolerance to heat
• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Low blood pressure
• Problems with the sense of smell
• Changes in weight
  • Weight loss (unintentional)
  • Weight gain (unintentional)

Symptoms only in women:

• Cessation of menses
• Abnormal nipple discharge
• Excessive body hair

Symptoms only in men:

• Breast development
• Impotence

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination and will note any double vision and visual field deficits, such as loss of peripheral vision or the ability to see in certain areas.

Tests that help confirm the diagnosis include the following:

• MRI of head
• Cranial CT scan
• Formal visual field testing

Endocrine function tests include:

• Cortisol levels:
  • Urine cortisol test
  • Dexamethasone suppression test - serum cortisol levels measured after giving dexamethasone to suppress hormonal secretion
  • Saliva cortisol test
• Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels
• Thyroid hormone levels:
  • TSH test
  • Free T4 test
• Serum prolactin levels
• Testosterone/estradiol levels
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) levels
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels

References:

Ezzat S, Asa SL, Couldwell WT, et al. The prevalence of pituitary adenomas. Cancer . 2004 Aug 1;101(3):613-9. Review.

• Review Date: 8/11/2006
• Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, MD, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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