Pituitary
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. It controls
a system of hormones in the body that regulate growth, metabolism,
the stress response, and functions of the sex organs via the thyroid
gland, adrenal gland, ovaries, and testes.
A pituitary tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the
pituitary gland. Most pituitary tumors are benign, which means
they are non-cancerous, grow slowly and do not spread to other parts
of the body; however they can make the pituitary gland produce
either too many or too few hormones, which can cause problems in the
body. Tumors that make hormones are called functioning tumors, and
they can cause a wide array of symptoms depending upon the hormone
affected. Tumors that don’t make hormones are called
non-functioning tumors. Their symptoms are directly related to
their growth in size and include headaches, vision problems, nausea,
and vomiting. Diseases related to hormone abnormalities
include Cushing’s disease, in which fat builds up in the face, back
and chest, and the arms and legs become very thin; and acromegaly, a
condition in which the hands, feet, and face are larger than normal.
Pituitary hormones that impact the sex hormones, such as estrogen
and testosterone, can make a woman produce breast milk even though
she is not pregnant or nursing, or cause a man to lose his sex drive
or lower his sperm count. Pituitary tumors often go
undiagnosed because their symptoms resemble those of so many other
more common diseases.
Follow the links for some of the most common
conditions afffeting the Pituitary Gland:
Prolactinoma
Acromegaly
Incidental
Masses "incidentilomas"