Effects of pituitary tumors

• Production of excessive amounts of pituitary hormone(s)
• Progressive decline of other pituitary secretions from normal pituitary cells (both macro and microadenomas)
• Pituitary stalk compression leading to reduced dopamine inhibition of prolactin secretion, thereby resulting in elevated prolactin levels
• Local effects of enlarging pituitary tumors include:
• Headaches
• Progressive deterioration of visual fields due to optic nerve chiasm compression associated with superior tumor expansion.
• Cranial nerve damage through extension into the cavernous sinuses
• Erosion of the pituitary fossa, into the sphenoid sinus, leading to leakage of CSF (rhinorrea) through the nose.
• Occlusion of normal CSF flow due to blocked pathway by tumor mass
• Very rarely, the enlarging tumor may spread into local brain tissue