Guide To Endocrine System Diseases

Prolactinoma

A prolactinoma is a type of benign pituitary gland tumor, and it causes the gland to produce too much of a hormone called prolactin. The overproduction of this hormone reduces estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Although patients with this condition might be asymptomatic, prolactinomas can trigger a range of symptoms if they grow large enough to press on surrounding tissues or if they cause excessive prolactin in the blood. Females may have irregular or absent menstrual periods, and a milky discharge from the breasts might occur in women who are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Prolactinomas might cause vaginal dryness that could make sex painful, and women could also notice excessive hair growth on the face and body. In males, prolactinomas might cause enlarged breasts, decreased facial and body hair, and erectile dysfunction. Male and female patients could notice headaches and visual disturbances, and low bone density and infertility might occur. To diagnose a prolactinoma, doctors perform blood tests to check prolactin levels, and MRI scans of the brain are done to detect potential tumors on the pituitary gland. Long-term treatment with dopamine agonists is recommended to decrease the production of prolactin and reduce tumor size. Patients may need to have transcranial or transsphenoidal surgery to remove the tumor.