The treatment decisions for pituitary tumors depend on the type, size, and individual needs of each patient. Many pituitary tumors do not require surgery. Pituitary tumors that produce a hormone known as prolactin can be treated with medicines that inhibit prolactin secretion and shrink the tumor.
Small pituitary tumors discovered on MRI scans taken to evaluate unrelated problems, such as headaches, are usually monitored but not treated unless they have shown signs of growth or of producing abnormal hormone function.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
We can remove most pituitary tumors through the nose with minimally invasive techniques, using either a surgical microscope or an endoscope. All transnasal procedures at UT Southwestern are performed by an experienced team consisting of an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeon and a neurosurgeon, working together.
Radiation Therapy
Patients with pituitary tumors that cannot be completely removed, or that begin to grow back after an apparently complete removal, might benefit from treatment with radiation therapy.
Because the brain structures near the pituitary gland are important for vision and memory, radiation treatments should be focused as tightly as possible within the tumor to minimize the dose of radiation received by these nearby structures.
UT Southwestern offers the most accurate radiation delivery technology available. We have the only Gamma Knife in the Dallas–Ft. Worth Metroplex, and, whenever possible, we use this device to treat recurrent or residual tumors in one day on an outpatient basis.
For tumors that cannot be removed because of their size or proximity to the optic nerves, we use the CyberKnife, a robotic device that maintains accurate radiation delivery for treatments that are delivered in divided doses, over several days or weeks. Our radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons work together to develop a highly individualized treatment plan.