Pituitary Macroadenoma Symptoms and Treatment in India

What is it?

The region of sellar is a place known to have a couple of types of tumours. Pituitary Macroadenomas are among the common ones. These come out from the epithelial pituitary cells and account to 10-15 percent of the total intracranial tumours. The tumours are seen exceeding to 10 mm and is defined as macroadenomas, and while the smaller ones are less than 10 mm that are called as Microadenomas. One of the most pituitary adenomas is called as the microadenomas.

Prevalence and Incidence

Approximately one out of thousand people are seen developing with the tumours called pituitary adenoma and many of these adenomas cause no problems or symptoms. These slow-growing benign tumours arise very much spontaneously without having a known cause from the tissues of the pituitary gland and the seldom that are cancerous. Around 10 to 15 percent all the intracranial tumours fall under the category of pituitary Macroadenomas.

Main Tumor Types

One of the most common types of hormone producing adenomas is simply named in alliance with the hormone they stimulate, which is found as under:

•        ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas
•        Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas
•        Prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas
•        Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) producing pituitary adenomas

Pituitary Macroadenoma Symptoms

The Pituitary Macroadenoma Symptoms are often relevant to the hormones, which are hampered by tumour and are generally noticed. The hormone in active adenomas simply exerts pressure over the structure of surrounding brain and it can create a number of symptoms that would depend upon the area that is being affected by the tumour. The compression of the pituitary gland by a number of hormone inactive tumours that can result some small amount of pituitary failure with one or more the number of symptoms, which are as under:

•          Low blood pressure

•          Fatigue/stress

•          Inability to handle stress

•          Sexual dysfunction

Compression of the pituitary stalk that connects the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus can really result into some mildly elevated areas of prolactin that cause certain irregular menstrual periods found in the females. This condition is really different from the prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma. 

A macroadenoma, which is seen growing upwards from any pituitary gland can really put an impact over the optic chiasm part of the pathway over the brain in between the eye and visual cortex. The visual cortex is a small portion of the brain, which at the end controls the eyesight. This kind of pituitary macroadenoma can result into the following symptoms:

•          Blurry vision

•          Peripheral vision loss known as bitemporal hemianopsia

•          Colour perception loss, which is an ability to distinguish colours

•          Severe or mild Headache

Diagnosis - Pituitary Macroadenoma

The tumours of Pituitary Macroadenoma generally go undiagnosed owing to the dull symptoms resembling to the other conditions. In order to diagnose, you can check the following tests, which are as under:

•          Blood & Urine Tests

•          Brain Imaging

•          Vision Testing

Besides, the doctor can even send to any endocrinologist for advance tests.

Treatment - Pituitary Macroadenoma

There are several ways of treating Pituitary Macroadenoma, which include medication and surgical options as well. However, Transsphenoidal Tumor Resection is one of the common options to treat this tumour. It is a surgical procedure, which removes the tumour of Pituitary Macroadenoma. The surgeon is seen entering the body via your nostrils and over the sphenoid sinus cavity. By creating a small size hole over the bone over the sinus cavity and its back, the surgeon gets a better view of the tumour and finally he or she removes the same. The surgical removal of the same becomes important if the surgeon finds the tumour pressing over the optic nerves or when the tumour is seen overproducing certain hormones.

Schedule Your Consultation

Once you find yourself into such condition with the tumour called Pituitary Macroadenoma, you need to schedule a consultation with your doctor and chalk out a further road map for the same.