The short answer
Treatment may involve observation, medicines, surgery, radiation, and hormone replacement depending on the tumor, but the right discussion depends on hormone activity, size, symptoms, growth, vision, and pituitary function.
Treatment categories may include observation, medicines, surgery, radiation, and hormone replacement depending on the tumor.
The plan depends on hormone activity, size, symptoms, growth, vision, and pituitary function.
Whether the tumor makes extra hormones (functioning) or not (nonfunctioning) shapes the plan more than almost anything else.
Treatment can leave hormone levels too low, so ongoing hormone testing and possible replacement are part of care for years, not just a check-up.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
The short answer
Pituitary tumors grow in the pituitary gland. This is a small gland at the base of your brain. It controls many of your body's hormones. Some tumors make extra hormones; doctors call these functioning tumors. Others do not; these are called nonfunctioning. Your treatment plan depends heavily on which type you have. Tumor size and location matter too.
Surgery: often the first step, but not for every type
Surgery is a common first treatment for nonfunctioning tumors, and for functioning tumors that make growth hormone, ACTH or TSH. There is one big exception. For a prolactin-producing tumor, NCI puts drug therapy first, and reserves surgery for tumors that do not respond to the drug or for people who cannot take it. So confirm which hormone your tumor makes before assuming an operation is coming.
The most common surgical approach is transsphenoidal surgery. Your surgeon reaches the gland through your nose. There is no external incision. A newer version, endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery, uses a thin viewing tube. It gives a more precise view. For some tumors, a craniotomy is needed instead. This opens the skull to reach the tumor directly. Ask your surgeon which approach fits your specific tumor and why.
Radiation therapy
Radiation uses high-energy rays to target the tumor. One specialized form is stereotactic radiosurgery. Despite the name, no incision is involved. Instead, doctors deliver a single, precisely aimed, high dose of radiation directly to the tumor. Radiation may be used on its own. It can also follow surgery if some tumor tissue remains.
Medicines for hormone-producing tumors
Say your tumor is functioning, meaning it makes extra hormones. Medicine may be used to stop it from overproducing them. This can be the main treatment for some tumor types. It can also be used alongside surgery or radiation. Which drug fits depends on which hormone your tumor is making. Ask your endocrinologist to explain your specific hormone levels and what the medicine is meant to do.
Chemotherapy for advanced disease
Chemotherapy is not a standard treatment for most pituitary tumors. It is used mainly for pituitary carcinoma, a rare, more aggressive form. In this setting, the goal is often to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life, alongside other treatments.
Why hormone monitoring matters so much here
The pituitary gland controls hormones that affect nearly every system in your body. Treatment can change your hormone levels. Sometimes it lowers hormones that were normal before treatment. Your team will check your hormone levels regularly. This shows how treatment is working. It also helps catch any new hormone deficiency early. Report new fatigue, unusual thirst, weight changes, or feeling unusually cold. These can be signs of a hormone level that needs adjusting.
Nonfunctioning tumors cause problems too
A nonfunctioning tumor does not make extra hormones, but it can still cause trouble. As it grows, it can press on nearby structures, including the nerves that carry vision from your eyes to your brain. This is why vision changes are a common reason nonfunctioning tumors get found and treated, even without any hormone symptoms. Surgery for these tumors often focuses on relieving that pressure, alongside removing as much of the tumor as safely possible.
Which symptoms cannot wait
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for a sudden severe headache, sudden vision loss or major vision changes, or new confusion. These can point to bleeding into the tumor or pressure on nearby structures. Sight and hormone function can be lost within hours, so this is an emergency trip, not a same-day callback. Follow any emergency instructions your team has given you on the way in.
Follow-up care after treatment
Pituitary tumors need ongoing monitoring, even after successful treatment. This usually means repeat blood tests to check hormone levels. Imaging watches for any tumor regrowth. Some of this monitoring continues for years, since these tumors can be slow to show changes. Ask your team how often you will be seen and what tests each visit will include.
What to ask your care team
- Is my tumor functioning or nonfunctioning, and how does that shape my treatment plan?
- Which surgical approach do you recommend, and why?
- Will I need hormone replacement after treatment, and how will you monitor for that?
- What symptoms should prompt a same-day call rather than waiting for my next appointment?
Sources
Words to know
Tap any term to see what it means.
Common questions
What is the difference between a functioning and a nonfunctioning tumor?
Pituitary tumors grow in the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of your brain that controls many of your body's hormones. Some tumors make extra hormones, and doctors call these functioning tumors. Others do not, and are called nonfunctioning. Your treatment plan depends heavily on which type you have, and tumor size and location matter too.
What surgery is used for these tumors?
Surgery is a common first treatment for nonfunctioning tumors and for those making growth hormone, ACTH or TSH, though NCI puts drug therapy first for prolactin-producing tumors and turns to surgery only if the drug fails or cannot be taken. The most common approach is transsphenoidal surgery, where the surgeon reaches the gland through your nose with no external incision. A newer version, endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery, uses a thin viewing tube and gives a more precise view. For some tumors a craniotomy is needed instead, opening the skull to reach the tumor directly. Ask your surgeon which approach fits your specific tumor and why.
What does radiation involve here?
Radiation uses high-energy rays to target the tumor. One specialized form is stereotactic radiosurgery: despite the name, no incision is involved, and doctors deliver a single, precisely aimed, high dose directly to the tumor. Radiation may be used on its own, or it can follow surgery if some tumor tissue remains.
Why does hormone monitoring matter so much?
The pituitary gland controls hormones that affect nearly every system in your body, and treatment can change your hormone levels — sometimes lowering hormones that were normal before treatment. Your team will check your levels regularly, both to see how treatment is working and to catch any new deficiency early. Report new fatigue, unusual thirst, weight changes, or feeling unusually cold, since these can be signs of a level that needs adjusting.
Which symptoms cannot wait for a routine visit?
Call 911 or go to an emergency department for a sudden severe headache, sudden vision loss or major vision changes, or new confusion. These can point to bleeding into the tumor or pressure on nearby structures, and sight and hormone function can be lost in hours. Follow any emergency instructions your team has given you on the way in.
Questions to ask your doctor
Being prepared helps you get the most out of your appointments. Save or print these questions.
Tap a question to save it to your list (kept on this device).
Your next step
Turn this guide into a short list for your care team.
Speak With Trained Specialists & Human Navigators
Cancer Explained provides educational guidance, but does not replace trained specialists, social workers, or your medical team.
Talk to a trained cancer information specialist
Free, confidential assistance from NCI Cancer Information Service via phone, chat, or email.
Contact your oncology team
Locate after-hours contact numbers, portal messages, or urgent triage phone lines.
Find a patient navigator
Get one-on-one help with appointments, logistics, translation, and care coordination.
Find a genetic counselor
Discuss inherited mutation risk, family history, and genetic testing options.
Find an oncology social worker
Access emotional counseling, family support groups, and mental health resources.
Find a financial navigator
Locate copay assistance foundations, grant programs, and lodging/travel support.
Find a clinical-trial specialist
Search matching studies and speak with NCI trial information specialists.
Get urgent help
Immediate emergency guidance for fever (>100.4°F during chemo), severe pain, or shortness of breath.
Help Us Improve This Guide
Did this explanation answer your question and help you determine your next step?
Know someone who needs this?
Plenty of people are looking for something like this and do not know where to start. If this would help a friend or someone you love, send it on — we have written an opening line so you do not have to stare at an empty message. You can change every word of it.
Your message is written and sent in your own email or messaging app — we never see who you send it to, and nothing is added to any list.
Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Sources last checked: 2026-07-22 what this meansLast updated: 2026-08-19Next planned review: 2027-01-22
How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status — Source checked. This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
High-risk topic — talk to your care team. This topic can involve urgent, individual medical decisions. This page is general education only: it cannot tell you whether your situation is an emergency or what you personally should do. Follow your oncology team's instructions and contact them for individual guidance.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
Read more about our editorial process, our use of AI, and our corrections policy.
Spotted a problem? Report an error — a factual mistake, broken or outdated source, confusing wording, or anything that seems unsafe. Please do not include names, medical record numbers, dates of birth, addresses, or other identifying medical information in your report.
After using this page, do you understand what to do next?
Anonymous — we only record the answer, never who gave it.
Related articles
Still have questions?
Educational answers, plain language
Free to print and share