Not all pituitary tumors require surgery; in fact, many pituitary tumors can be treated well with medications. Whether medication or surgery is the first thing to look at is the type of pituitary tumor. The most common type of pituitary tumor, prolactinoma, is treated with medication first. Most patients have good results with medication, and some patients can even be cured and stop using medication after regular treatment. Growth hormone pituitary tumors can also be treated with medications, but surgery is still the first choice. Other ACTH pituitary tumors and non-functioning pituitary tumors also require surgery. Also, it depends on the patient and the size of the tumor. Some small non-functioning pituitary tumors that do not cause symptoms can be temporarily observed, while some small pituitary tumors that bleed and affect vision should also be considered for surgery.