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Pituitary tumor - Symptom

Alternative Names

Tumor - pituitary

Symptoms:

Symptoms associated with pituitary tumors include:

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

Symptoms only in women:

Symptoms only in men:

Signs and tests:

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

Endocrine function tests include:

Cortisol levels:
- Dexamethasone suppression test
- Urine cortisol test
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels
Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels
Luteinizing hormone (LH) levels
Serum prolactin levels
Testosterone/estradiol levels
Thyroid hormone levels:
- Free T4 test
- TSH test

Tests that help confirm the diagnosis include the following:

Formal visual field testing
MRI of head

Endocrine glands

Reviewed last on: 3/18/2008
Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

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

Melmed S, Kleinberg D. Anterior Pituitary. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 8.

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