Pituitary gland: Tumor therapy in the Frankfurt / Darmstadt area

What patients from the Frankfurt / Darmstadt area should know about pituitary adenomas

FRANKFURT / DARMSTADT Tumours of the pituitary gland are known as pituitary adenomas. Although benign, they are sometimes anatomically unfavourably located tumours that are associated with diffuse and sometimes severe symptoms. Around one in seven brain tumours is a pituitary adenoma. ‘The diagnosis is a major challenge. This is because adenomas of the pituitary gland can be accompanied by various symptoms,’ explains Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster, who heads the Hormone and Metabolism Centre in Mainz and also treats patients from the Frankfurt and Darmstadt area with tumours of the pituitary gland.

Various cells can proliferate on the pituitary gland, according to the endocrinologist for Frankfurt / Darmstadt

The different symptoms are due to the anatomical location of the pituitary gland. For example, compression of the optic nerve junction by an adenoma can lead to a decrease in visual acuity and visual field restrictions. Those affected may also experience non-specific headaches. If these complaints are accompanied by endocrinological symptoms, an MRI should be performed. The symptoms can vary depending on which cells of the pituitary gland are proliferating. In women, the main symptoms are oligomenorrhoea, i.e. infrequent menstruation or complete absence of menstruation (amenorrhoea).

In men, libido decreases to the point of impotence. Both sexes can be affected by galactorrhoea. This is milk flow from the breast.

Treatment options for pituitary adenomas – information for those affected in Frankfurt and Darmstadt

If somatotropic cells proliferate in the tumour on the pituitary gland, acromegaly, i.e. an increased release of growth hormones, can occur. The excess somatotropin produced leads to an enlarged jaw, which is accompanied by toothache. Uncontrolled acromegaly can also lead to snoring and sleep apnoea. High blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia can also occur, as well as insulin resistance. ‘The variety of symptoms is a real challenge when making a diagnosis,’ says Prof Wüster. Pituitary adenomas also include corticotropin-producing masses, which manifest themselves in ‘Cushing’s syndrome’, commonly known as full moon face. Conclusions about thyrotropin-producing adenomas can only be drawn from non-supressed TSH concentrations in the serum. Prof Wüster treats patients with adenomas on the pituitary gland depending on the intensity of the symptoms. In the case of asymptomatic adenomas, it is possible to wait and see.

Contact
Hormon- und Stoffwechselzentrum MVZ GmbH · Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster · Wallstraße 3–7 · 55122 Mainz · Telephone: 06131 58848-0 · Private Patient: 06131 58848-18 · Emergency Phone: 06131 58848-11 · Fax: 06131 58848-48 · E-Mail: info@prof-wuester.de
© 2025 Hormon- und Stoffwechselzentrum MVZ GmbH   
Doctolib Make an appointment online Click here