Pituitary Tumor Surgery in Staten Island, NY
Pituitary tumors are growths that develop in the pituitary gland. Their symptoms can be severe, causing effects throughout a person’s body. The neurosurgery department at Richmond University Medical Center specializes in advanced procedures to treat neurological conditions, including pituitary tumors. We help patients throughout the Staten Island, New York, community find relief.
What Is a Pituitary Tumor?
The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland located near the brain. It is responsible for regulating hormones throughout the body and connects to the hypothalamus, or the brain’s control center. The hypothalamus tells the pituitary when to release hormones. These chemical signals enter the bloodstream, where they carry instructions to direct different organs and systems.
A pituitary tumor is a mass of abnormal cells that grows on the pituitary gland. This mass can cause overproduction of various hormones, resulting in malfunctions throughout the body. Long-term hormone imbalance may also lead to other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, or diabetes, meaning that urgent treatment is often recommended.
What Are the Symptoms of Pituitary Tumors?
Most pituitary tumor symptoms are caused by hormone overproduction. The excess hormones affect a variety of body systems, causing them to behave in strange ways depending on which hormones are overproduced. They can include:
- Rapid or abnormal growth in children
- Changes in facial structure
- Unintentional weight gain or loss
- Abnormal breast tissue development
- Persistent fatigue
- Changes in menstrual cycles
- Erectile dysfunction or decreased sexual interest
- Low or high blood pressure
- Decrease or increase in body hair
- Frequent sweats
- Joint pain
Larger tumors may cause additional complications by pressing against structures in the brain. This can cause headaches, vision issues, facial numbness or pain, tingling or numbness in extremities, and fainting spells.
Types of Pituitary Tumors
Pituitary tumors are classified based on several features to help physicians plan the most appropriate treatment. These features include:
Malignancy
Most pituitary tumors are benign, meaning that they are non-cancerous. Others are malignant, meaning that they are cancerous and can invade other tissues. They are most often found in older patients.
Size
Large pituitary tumors are categorized as macroadenomas. They are the most likely to press against and impede nearby brain structures. Small tumors are called microadenomas. These are less likely to cause serious complications but can still grow and become a macroadenoma.
Hormone Production
Non-functional adenomas do not cause hormone overproduction. They may not be detected until the tumor grows large enough to press against the brain. Functional adenomas do cause hormone overproduction and may cause noticeable symptoms even when small.
Surgical Procedures for Pituitary Tumors
Treatments for pituitary tumors depend on the tumor’s classification. If the tumor is small, benign, and non-functioning, physicians may recommend simply monitoring its growth. If it is cancerous or severely impacts body function or the optic nerve, then surgery may be required. Richmond University Medical Center employs a few different approaches, including:
- Craniotomy: This procedure involves removing part of the skull to access the brain. It provides surgeons the most room to work and is recommended for large tumors.
- Transsphenoidal surgery: This minimally invasive surgery accesses tumors through the sinus cavity. It reduces surgical stress but is only possible for small tumors.
Surgery may be performed alongside other treatments if necessary. The goal is to fully remove the tumor, eliminating symptoms and allowing the patient to return to normal life.
Other Pituitary Tumor Treatments
While surgery is a preferred treatment for pituitary tumors, it is not always sufficient. The patient may have severe symptoms in need of management, or the tumor may have spread to other parts of the brain or body. In this case, other treatments may be used:
- Drug therapy: This approach can include either chemotherapy or targeted therapy. It involves taking special medications to shrink a tumor.
- Radiation therapy: This treatment uses high-energy beams to kill tumor cells and may be used to shrink tumors before surgery or to eliminate cells left behind afterward.
- Hormone replacement therapy: If a pituitary tumor causes hormone underproduction, then replacement therapy can counteract symptoms and restore balance.
Physical therapy may also be prescribed to treat the effects of pituitary tumors.
Seek Pituitary Tumor Treatment and Care at Richmond University Medical Center
Patients struggling with symptoms of hormone overproduction can find help at Richmond University Medical Center. Located in Staten Island, NY, we offer a variety of pituitary tumor treatments, including surgery, in our state-of-the-art medical facility. Contact us to learn more about treatment options or to schedule an appointment at a location near you.
