The different types of pituitary tumors can be classified into various groupings, such as microadenomas or macroadenomas and functioning tumors or non-functioning tumors.

The pituitary is a small, bean-sized gland that is below the hypothalamus, a structure at the base of the brain, by a thread-like stalk that contains both blood vessels and nerves. Some pituitary tumors may not cause any symptoms.Pituitary tumors are not usually diagnosed until symptoms appear.To arrange evaluations and request appointments, patients can call Whether you're crossing the country or the globe, we make it easy to access world-class care at Johns Hopkins.

This site does not dispense medical advice or advice of any kind. The most common types of cancer that spread to the pituitary gland are lung, breast and colon. In order for us to best serve you and provide you with the best information, can you please tell us if you currently have health insurance? The first signs of a pituitary adenoma often depend on whether the tumor is functional (making excess hormones) or non-functional (not making excess hormones).. Functional adenomas can cause problems because of the hormones they release. Pituitary Tumors in Children: Causes and Symptoms. The pituitary gland is involved in the production of several essential hormones.

A pituitary tumor, also called a pituitary gland tumor, is an abnormal growth of cells that occurs in the pituitary gland.

Types of pituitary tumors: AdenomasCraniopharyngiomas; Rathke's cleft cystsSigns and symptoms of pituitary tumors: A pituitary tumor causes symptoms by pushing on brain tissue surrounding the tumor or through excessive or impaired hormone production.

× Definition . Tumors that start in the pituitary gland are called pituitary tumors.. To understand pituitary tumors, it helps to know about the normal pituitary gland and what it does. Pituitary tumors that make one or more of the pituitary hormones are called functioning pituitary tumors, while those that do not make hormones are called nonfunctioning pituitary tumors. Find a doctor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center or Johns Hopkins Community Physicians. The pituitary gland is technically not part of the brain and has a different composition from the brain tissues, so pituitary tumors are not considered to be brain tumors. A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells. Each type of functioning pituitary tumor causes different symptoms, depending on the type of hormone that is being made by the tumor.

Two types of drugs are available for these types of pituitary tumors and are especially useful if surgery has been unsuccessful in normalizing growth hormone production. All rights reserved. eMedTV serves only as an informational resource.

When this happens, it is called metastatic cancer, or secondary pituitary gland tumours.

Not all pituitary tumors (called pituitary adenomas) cause symptoms. In order for us to create your customized HealthSavvy programs, we need a little more information about the health topic(s) that you are interested in. You will also learn how doctors test for and diagnose pituitary tumors. Pituitary adenomas are benign, slow-growing masses that represent about 10% of primary brain tumors. Pituitary carcinoma is the rare malignant form of pituitary adenoma. In this series of articles, you will learn about the different types of pituitary tumors, and common symptoms seen with these tumors. Enter the last name, specialty or keyword for your search below.Almost all pituitary tumors are benign.

Click Most of these tumors are benign (not cancer), and do not spread to other parts of the body.. Cancer can spread from where it started (primary site) to the pituitary gland. Some pituitary tumors may … Metastatic cancer in the pituitary gland. Tumors arising from the pituitary gland itself are called adenomas or carcinomas. Pituitary tumors are an abnormal growth of cells in the pituitary gland. Site users seeking medical advice about their specific situation should consult with their own physician.