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The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain, located just above the back of the nose and near the optic nerves, which carry signals from each eye into the brain. The pituitary produces hormones that control other glands and many body functions, especially growth.
Approximately 7 percent of brain tumors develop in the pituitary gland. Tumors in the pituitary gland are often diagnosed at a very early stage. The majority of pituitary tumors are slow-growing adenomas, or noncancerous tumors. Rarely, cancers that arise elsewhere in the body spread, or metastasize, to the pituitary gland.
Pituitary adenomas are classified on the basis of whether or not they produce hormones. Those that produce hormones are called functioning tumors and can cause various symptoms depending on the type of hormone they secrete. Others, called nonfunctioning tumors, do not produce hormones but cause symptoms as they grow and compress adjacent organs.
