How to treat a 4 cm pituitary tumor

How to treat a 4 cm pituitary tumor?

A pituitary tumor of 4 cm is considered a relatively large tumor, and in this case, surgical removal is required. Radiotherapy and drug-assisted treatment can be combined after surgery. When a pituitary tumor is larger than two centimeters, it will compress the nerves, causing symptoms such as decreased vision and visual field defects. At this time, active treatment is required to avoid affecting life.

1. Surgical treatment

You can choose transsphenoidal microsurgery, which is performed under a microscope to preserve normal pituitary tissue and avoid hypopituitarism after surgery. Secondly, you can also perform transfrontal craniotomy, which has the advantages of clearer surgical field and more thorough resection. You need to follow the doctor's advice on how to perform the surgery.

2. Radiation therapy

Radiotherapy can be combined with adjuvant therapy after surgery. Common radiotherapy methods include conventional radiotherapy, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, stereotactic radiotherapy, etc. However, it should be noted that this method has side effects and is prone to hypopituitarism, secondary encephalopathy, etc.

3. Drug treatment

If secondary infection occurs after surgery, antibiotics can be used to control the infection, such as cephalosporins, penicillins, and macrolides. If epilepsy occurs, it is recommended to take anti-epileptic drugs, such as epilepsy tablets and carbamazepine tablets.