Pituitary tumors are common benign intracranial tumors that are not easily detected in early stages and mostly require surgery. However, many patients only find out when they visit obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology and endocrinology departments because of heavy symptoms, which seriously affect their physical and mental health.
Patients with one of the following symptoms should be alerted to pituitary tumors: 1. loss of vision and visual field defects Pituitary tumors are very likely to compress the optic cross and optic nerve during growth.
2.Changes in face, limbs and body shape In adolescence, it may appear as gigantism, and in adults, it may appear as wide hands and feet, wide head and face, enlarged nose, thickened lips, and hoarseness and sleep snoring.
3.Women with irregular menstruation, amenorrhea and breast overflow, infertility Adolescent or married women with longer menstrual cycle or amenorrhea, breast overflow (milk) and inability to have children after marriage should be examined to see if it is caused by pituitary tumor.
4.Male sexual function change, infertility Low libido, impotence, erectile function, no beard, voice thinning, infertility, should be considered whether pituitary tumor.
5. Centripetal obesity Accumulation of fat in chest, abdomen and buttocks, relatively thin limbs, full-moon face, significant weight gain, subcutaneous blood vessels in limbs revealed and purple lines (purple-red skin lines on the body) appear.
6.Headache About 2/3 of patients will have headache in the early stage. The pain is mainly located behind the orbits, in the forehead and near the temples bilaterally, with mild degree and intermittent attacks.
Imaging and endocrine hormone examination should be done to clarify the diagnosis if pituitary adenoma is suspected. The treatment of pituitary adenoma mainly includes surgery, medication and radiation therapy. Different treatment modalities or a combination of several treatment modalities should be chosen according to the patient’s different conditions.
Patients with amenorrhea and overflow infertility that are caused by pituitary prolactin adenoma are preferred to oral medication, and some patients choose surgery. Patients with acromegaly that is caused by pituitary growth hormone adenoma are preferred for surgical treatment.
Surgical removal of the tumor is currently the main means of treatment for pituitary tumors, and about 80% of these patients can have the tumor removed via a nasopalatine approach. The unilateral nasopalatine sinus approach does not require craniotomy and has the advantages of less trauma, faster patient recovery, shorter operation time, and fewer complications, so it can be the preferred treatment for most patients with pituitary adenomas.