Pituitary Tumor Treatment

Your doctor may prescribe medicine to regulate hormones and to shrink the tumor. In many cases, this is the only treatment needed.

If your pituitary tumor extends to an area where surgery could be risky, our experts may recommend radiation therapy (high energy X-ray treatment), either as standalone treatment or before or after surgery. This may be given daily for about five weeks or as stereotactic radiosurgery. A radiation oncologist will make recommendations based on the size of your tumor and its exact location within the brain.

The goal of surgery is to remove the entire tumor safely while also preserving the function of the pituitary gland and nearby structures, such as the optic nerves. We offer the full range of pituitary tumor surgical approaches, and our surgeons have extensive training and experience in the most advanced techniques that help you heal faster.

• Endoscopic approach: Often, neurosurgeons and specialized ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors called sinus specialists work together to remove the tumor endoscopically, which means they access the tumor through your nose. This minimally invasive option leaves no external scarring and speeds recovery.
• Keyhole craniotomy: When larger tumors are present, our surgeons offer keyhole craniotomies, in which the tumor is removed through a small opening in the skull that is about the size of a nickel.  
• Open approach: In rare cases, a pituitary tumor may require a larger opening in the skull and more extensive surgery. 

Learn more about how we approach pituitary tumor surgery at Duke:

After your tumor has been effectively treated -- through medication, radiation, or surgery -- your care team will continue to monitor your condition with regular MRI scans and hormone tests. Pituitary tumors can sometimes return, although it is rare. If your tumor caused vision problems, your eye specialist will continue to monitor your vision.