What are the treatment options for pituitary tumors? Currently, common treatments for pituitary tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, and medications. The treating doctor needs to choose the best treatment for the specific pituitary tumor. Below, we will briefly discuss the treatment options for pituitary tumors. Surgery Except for PRL tumors, surgery is often used for larger pituitary tumors (3 cm or more). The surgical approach for pituitary tumors has improved considerably compared to the previous one, and nowadays the trans-pituitary sinus procedure is mainly used. It is a selective removal of the tumor under the condition of open surgical field (operating under a microscope). Yang Tao, Department of Neurosurgery, Chengdu Military General Hospital The transsphenoidal sinus approach is safe and widely used, and is suitable for microadenomas in the saddle and macroadenomas that grow expansively toward the saddle and develop into the cavernous sinus. Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy is also usually performed for macroadenomas that expand suprasellarly. Radiation therapy Currently, Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery is a common and effective treatment for pituitary tumors up to 3 cm. Gamma knife treatment of pituitary tumors is accurately localized and basically undamaged to the surrounding healthy tissues. The sensitivity of pituitary tumors to radiation allows pituitary tumors to gradually become smaller, shrink, and lose their endocrine-influencing effects after gamma knife treatment, thus achieving the effect of controlling pituitary tumor symptoms and treating pituitary tumor disease. Medications Bromocriptine is mostly used to treat pituitary tumors. Bromocriptine can indeed relieve pituitary tumor symptoms and even control endocrine and hormonal disorders. However, the use of bromocriptine for pituitary tumor treatment requires a long period of time, and some pituitary tumor patients are allergic to bromocriptine and may feel unwell, dizzy or have stomach discomfort when taking bromocriptine. Due to the difference in individual’s physical condition, long-term bromocriptine treatment for pituitary tumors is not ideal. These are the three common treatments for pituitary tumors. Patients are advised to visit the hospital in time to minimize the damage caused by pituitary tumors.