Comprehensive treatment strategies for pituitary tumors In addition to functional pituitary tumors (prolactin and growth hormone types, and ACTH adenomas.) The vast majority of pituitary tumors are non-functional pituitary tumors, which are usually treated surgically. The most common procedure is transnasal pterygoid pituitary tumor resection, which is commonly performed by neuroendoscopy or microscopy and is minimally invasive. Patients recover quickly and can go down on the same day and be discharged 3-5 days after surgery. For large adenomas, or huge invasive pituitary tumors, sometimes it is not possible to operate transnasal butterfly, and craniotomy is required for treatment. The surgical results of pituitary tumors are currently highly efficient and have a low recurrence rate, but require a neurosurgeon with some experience to perform.
If there is some residual tumor after tumor removal, generally not enough to completely need craniotomy to remove the tumor, you can choose Gamma Knife treatment appropriately, which can inhibit some of the tumor growth, but must be appropriate. I have seen some hospital doctors choose a wide range of indications, what the case of pituitary tumors are gamma knife, the patient ended up with low pituitary function, tumor irregularities, and finally had to open surgery, the results are extremely poor.
What about other treatments? To date there is no chemotherapy used in the treatment of pituitary tumors. There is also what gyroknife, proton knife. All are concept hype, experimental treatments, not recommended options.
Pituitary tumors have become increasingly well treated in recent years, and their incidence has increased. In many cases, they are found in related departments, and I have seen cases where the tumor was found by an ophthalmologist who recommended a head MRI and a gynecologist who recommended a head CT.
I would like to reiterate here that pituitary adenoma is a benign tumor and is not a terrible disease. The mortality rate of pituitary adenoma itself is very low or even 0. It is usually caused by complications or surgical sequelae that are fatal. So please be assured that with the treatment of an experienced doctor, it is perfectly possible to reach the level of normality.
Any form of treatment, except what I mentioned, must be discretionary. I hope my humble opinion can lift the fog for every pituitary tumor patient and face it with confidence.