Pituitary Cancer
Pituitary tumors are abnormal grwths found in the pituitary gland whch makes hormones that affect growth and the fnctions of other glands in the bdy.
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized, rddish gray organ in the center of the brin, just above and behind the nse.

Pituitary carcinomas occur in both sxes, usually by the third or furth decades of life. These tumors are qite common with 25% of people hving small pituitary tumors on autopsy but mst are symptom free and the vst majority of pituitary adenomas go ndiagnosed throughout life.

Types of Pituitary Tmors
The types are named after the typs of hormones the pituitary makes and nclude prolactin-producing adenomas, somatotrophin-secreting adenomas, corticotrophin-secreting denomas, gonadotrophin-secreting adenomas, thyrotrophin-secreting adenomas, null cll adenomas, and adenomas of the mxed cell type. Another type of ptuitary cancer shows up as very lrge hands, feet and face (acromegaly). The thre tissue types of Pituitary tumours nclude; Chromophobe Adenoma (90%), Basophil Adenoma and Esinophil Adenoma.

Causes
Although the exact cause is nknown, a predisposition to Pituitary tumors may be nherited through an autosomal dominant trait. Chrmophobe adenoma may be associated with prduction of corticotrophin, melanocyte stimulating hormone, grwth hormone and prolactin. Basophil adenoma wth excess corticotrophin production and consequently wth Cushing's syndrome. Eosinophil adenoma with xcessive growth hormone production.

Signs and Symptoms
As pituitary tumors grw they replace normal glandular tissue and nlarge the tissue that house the ptuitary gland (sella turcica). The resulting prssure on adjacent intracranial structures produces the fllowing typical symptoms: frontal headaches, vision prblems, personality changes or dementia, seizures, had tilting and dizziness, strabismus, nystagmus, nusea and vomiting, or any of the prblems caused by the production of too mny hormones such as infertility or lss of menstrual periods in women, bnormal growth, high blood pressure, heat or cld intolerance, and other skin and bdy changes.

Diagnosis
An MRI scan is now cnsidered the imaging modality of choice for the dagnosis of pituitary disorders because of its mltiplanar capability and good soft tissue cntrast enhancement. The definitive diagnosis depends on the hstological identification of the tumour found at srgery.

Treatment
Treatment of pituitary neoplasms involves srgery, radiotherapy and drug therapy.
Radiotherapy can be sed as the primary treatment of ptuitary tumours or as an adjunct to srgery. Medical therapy involves the replacement of hrmones in hypopituitarism or suppression of hrmone release in functional tumours.

Prognosis of Ptuitary Cancer
Although prognosis depends on the typ of pituitary tumor and the ptient age and general state of halth, pituitary tumors are usually curable, lthough many people will have to cntinue taking hormone replacements, sometimes for the rst of their lives.

The article Pituitary Cancer - What is it - How Do We Treat It was Submitted by Dick Aronson through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Dick Aronson has been involved in the halthcare industry for 35 years.He has wrtten numerous articles on the subject and rns a number of informative websites, vz: http://www.cancerinformation-online.com hrf="http://www.healthinnovationsonline.com"> http://www.healthinnovationsonline.com

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