Pituitary Tumors and Disorders
To be diagnosed with a pituitary tumor or disease can be extremely
frightening. Patients often feel sick from hormonal imbalances and
may suffer from severe headaches or vision loss. Their physicians
often know little about pituitary tumors and disorders and have few
patient educational resources. Patient questions frequently asked
include: Will I need surgery? Will I ever feel normal and be able
to lead a functional life again? Will I be on medications for the
rest of my life? How do I learn more about my disorder?
Although the Internet offers a lot of information on pituitary
tumors and other pituitary disorders, it can be a daunting task
for a patient to sort through this vast pool of information. It
can be difficult to determine what is credible and what is misleading.
To promote meaningful patient education, the "Especially for Patients"
section of the OHSU Pituitary Unit web site teaches the basics of
pituitary disease, its management, and how to work with your doctor
to make a diagnosis. It also includes an annotated list of useful
web sites and other patient resources.
The "Especially for Patients" section is intended to address two groups of patients: 1) those that have been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor or disease, and 2) those who feel they might have a pituitary disorder but are concerned they have not received an adequate work-up. See the menu on the left for more information or click on the "Browse OHSU Pituitary" at the top left of each page.
To the patient with a pituitary tumor or disease
- Don't panic! The vast majority of pituitary tumors are benign and about half can be treated with medications (prolactinomas). If surgery is required, a qualified surgeon can easily resect most pituitary tumors. Therefore, the first critical step if you have a pituitary tumor that needs to be removed is to find a qualified surgeon. The second critical step is to find a good endocrinologist. This is important whether you have a pituitary tumor or other pituitary disease. As a rule, centers that have good pituitary surgeons also have good neuroendocrinologists. A list of pituitary management centers around the country is listed under "Patient Support Resources."
To the person who believes they may have a pituitary tumor or disease
- There is hope! This section will help you to work with your physician
to rule-in or rule-out the diagnosis. The challenge for physicians
in considering if a patient is likely to have pituitary disease
is that many symptoms are very non-specific (e.g., fatigue, headache,
constipation, cold-intolerance, hot flashes, etc). In most cases,
patients with these symptoms do not have pituitary tumors or disease.
Fortunately, if the right tests are ordered, it is relatively easy
to rule in or out a pituitary disorder. A printable document, The
Basic Pituitary Tumor/Pituitary Disease Work-Up is available under
the section: How do I work with my Doctor
to find out if I have a Pituitary Disorder?
| Helpful Tips For Using This Web Site |
OHSUpituitary.com
is divided into three main sections:
Especially for Patients,
Especially for Health Care Professionals,
and The OHSU Pituitary Unit.
Each main section can be accessed: 1) from
the homepage,
2) at the bottom of the navigation menu at
the left of each page,
and 3) by clicking the "Browse OHSU Pituitary"
link in the upper left corner of each page.
The "Browse OHSU Pituitary " function gives quick access to the first three
levels of the web site with one "click". Within each section,
many pages of content are available.
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A "printer friendly" version of this page is available in both HTML and PDF formats.
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