Pituitary Gland Tumors

The neurosurgeons at the Kenneth R. Peak Center for Brain and Pituitary Tumor Treatment and Research provide personalized neurological and oncological strategies to treat all types of pituitary gland tumors. Our minimally invasive procedures lead to complication rates of less than 1% and higher success rates than anywhere else in Houston.

The pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, regulates vital areas of the body. This “master gland” releases substances that control the basic functions of growth, metabolism and reproduction, functioning in a delicate balance.

 Leading Care for Pituitary Tumors

• Pituitary disorders program – Our surgeons pioneered many of the minimally invasive techniques used in our procedures and elsewhere. Our rate of control for pituitary tumors is more than 95%.
• Advanced treatment options – We offer aggressive treatment protocols, including dopamine agonists, somatostatin analogs (drugs that mimic natural hormones) and minimally invasive endoscopic surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery.
• Highly specialized equipment – The Houston Methodist Radiosurgery Program offers treatment with either the Gamma Knife Icon® or Novalis® treatment systems, allowing for flexibility within our patient-tailored treatments.  

Your doctor will test hormone levels because they can be affected by a tumor. Hormone tests tell your doctor how well your body’s balance and regulation of these hormones is working. Tests include blood tests and stimulation or hormones tests. If needed, your doctor may refer you to an endocrinologist for more testing.

Anterior lobe hormones:

• Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) – Causes adrenal gland to release several hormones, particularly cortisol.
• Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) – Stimulates ovulation in women and sperm production in men.
• Growth hormones (GH) – Main hormone for general body growth which also regulates the metabolism of glucose.
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) – Stimulates ovulation in women and testosterone production in men.
• Prolactin (PRL) – Produces breast enlargement, lactation and loss of menstrual cycle during pregnancy, and causes impotence in men.
• Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) – Causes thyroid gland to grow and release thyroid hormones (called T4 and T3).

Posterior lobe hormones: 

• Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) – Controls thirst and the amount of fluid reabsorbed into the bloodstream and urine produced by the kidneys.
• Oxytocin – Stimulates uterine contractions in women.  

We use some of the most advanced techniques such as BrainPath, a virtual surgical image-guidance system that employs functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to achieve unprecedented surgical accuracy. With this tool, we can be accurate in tumor removal to within a single millimeter.

Our team also uses high-frequency ultrasound, powerful sound waves that shatter large tumors into small pieces before removing them.