What is the Origin of Pituitary Tumors?

The term originates from neuroendocrinology and neurosurgery, combining the anatomical location of the gland with the pathological term for a benign glandular tumor. The pituitary gland itself is often called the "master gland" because it controls the function of the thyroid, adrenals, and gonads. Pituitary tumors are a common finding, often discovered incidentally on imaging, underscoring the high prevalence of these growths in the general population.

What is the Mechanism of Pituitary Tumors?

Functioning tumors exert their effect by autonomously overproducing a specific pituitary hormone, such as prolactin, growth hormone, or adrenocorticotropic hormone. This hormonal excess leads to downstream clinical syndromes like hyperprolactinemia, acromegaly, or Cushing's disease, respectively. Non-functioning tumors, conversely, grow large enough to compress the normal pituitary tissue, causing a deficiency of multiple pituitary hormones, a condition termed hypopituitarism, and may also cause visual disturbances by pressing on the adjacent optic chiasm.

Pituitary Tumors

Meaning

Pituitary tumors are abnormal growths, typically benign adenomas, that develop in the pituitary gland, the body’s central endocrine regulator located at the base of the brain. These tumors are clinically classified as either functioning, meaning they hypersecrete one or more pituitary hormones, or non-functioning, which cause symptoms primarily through mass effect. Their presence disrupts the normal function of the entire endocrine system, leading to complex hormonal excess or deficiency syndromes.