Treatment for a cyst on the pituitary gland depends on what type it is. Diagnosis is made by the symptoms displayed, blood tests and x-rays. For some people, medication alone may be treatment enough, but for others there may be a need for surgery, or for radiation therapy. In some instances, a combination of treatments is necessary. The decision on how to treat is taken after assessing the type, location, symptoms and size.
If surgery is necessary, the cyst will be removed by a neurosurgeon, even though the pituitary gland is not actually part of the brain, so tumours or cysts on the pituitary gland are definitely not brain tumours.
Even after surgery to remove a pituitary cyst or tumour, repeated checks have to be made to see if there has been any return. It is impossible to predict if this will happen to any particular individual so all patients who have been treated need to have a regular check up to ensure the cyst hasn’t returned. This can happen even 20 years after the original treatment.
Checks can be made by testing blood and urine, but also through having MRI scans. If a patient is receiving hormone replacement therapy, they will need to be regularly monitored to make sure that the treatment is continuing to be effective.
Many patients with pituitary cysts or tumours are concerned that they may have to have radiation therapy. This is not usually the first line of treatment because it does not produce an immediate effect to lower excessive hormone production or make it any smaller. Pituitary radiation can take several years for it to be effective, and so is used as an additional therapy rather than an exclusive one.
If surgery is necessary, the cyst will be removed by a neurosurgeon, even though the pituitary gland is not actually part of the brain, so tumours or cysts on the pituitary gland are definitely not brain tumours.
Even after surgery to remove a pituitary cyst or tumour, repeated checks have to be made to see if there has been any return. It is impossible to predict if this will happen to any particular individual so all patients who have been treated need to have a regular check up to ensure the cyst hasn’t returned. This can happen even 20 years after the original treatment.
Checks can be made by testing blood and urine, but also through having MRI scans. If a patient is receiving hormone replacement therapy, they will need to be regularly monitored to make sure that the treatment is continuing to be effective.
Many patients with pituitary cysts or tumours are concerned that they may have to have radiation therapy. This is not usually the first line of treatment because it does not produce an immediate effect to lower excessive hormone production or make it any smaller. Pituitary radiation can take several years for it to be effective, and so is used as an additional therapy rather than an exclusive one.
