What is the best way to treat pituitary tumors?

What is the best way to treat pituitary tumors? Pituitary tumors are a type of benign brain tumor. Because it occurs in the brain, many people are very cautious and want to know what the best treatment is. In fact, the best treatment is relative. What treatment method is used clinically often depends on the patient's condition. The following editor will introduce to you several commonly used treatment methods.

1. Radiotherapy for pituitary tumors

Conventional radiotherapy and external irradiation such as high-energy ion irradiation and linear accelerator therapy are used for pituitary tumors. The efficacy in shrinking tumors and reducing hormone secretion varies, and the need to quickly relieve pressure on adjacent tissue structures is not satisfactory. As time passes after radiotherapy, the function of the pituitary gland is inevitable (50% to 70%), with GH, GN, ACTH, and TSH deficiencies, respectively. Radiotherapy is often used as an adjunct to surgical treatment, and the efficacy of gamma knife treatment for pituitary tumors is yet to be determined. Side effects include hypopituitarism (long-term follow-up and hormone replacement therapy are required), optic neuritis and visual impairment, as well as brain atrophy and cognitive impairment.

2. Surgery for pituitary tumors

Except for prolactinoma, which is generally treated with drugs first, all pituitary tumors, especially macroadenomas and functional tumors, especially those compressing the central nervous system and optic nerve bundle, should be considered for surgical treatment if drug treatment is ineffective or intolerable. Unless the macroadenoma has extended to the sella turcica and parasellar, it is necessary to consider craniotomy and transfrontal approach to remove the tumor. For tumors in the sella turcica, transsphenoidal microsurgery is generally used to remove microadenomas. The incidence of postoperative complications such as temporary diabetes insipidus, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, local hematoma, abscess, and infection is low.

3. Comprehensive treatment of pituitary tumors

The treatment of pituitary tumors mainly includes surgery, drugs and radiotherapy. Because there is no method that can achieve the goal of complete cure, various treatment methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. An individualized treatment plan should be formulated based on the size of the patient's pituitary tumor, hormone secretion, complications and comorbidities, the patient's age, whether there is a desire to have children, and the patient's financial situation. The treatment of pituitary tumors is a comprehensive treatment process involving multiple departments.

Pituitary tumors are benign tumors. Their main harm is that they may cause excessive or insufficient secretion of endocrine hormones such as growth hormone, gonadotropin, and prolactin. Children with these tumors may be short and have premature genital development. Adults with these tumors may have enlarged fingers and toes, swollen faces, impotence and infertility in men during the reproductive period, and amenorrhea and obesity in women. Most patients do not have severe symptoms and progress slowly. Therefore, most patients do not need treatment or medication.

The above is about the common methods of treating pituitary tumors. I hope it can help you. Experts point out that it is necessary to go to the hospital for scientific treatment as soon as possible to avoid causing greater harm to the patient.