Officially it's called an adenoma

You can Google Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma if you want detailed information but in a nutshell it’s a benign tumor in my pituitary gland.

Three times, it's grown to the point where it affected my optic nerves and pituitary function. Surgery was performed Feb. 2007 again in Feb. 2009 and yet again Nov. 11, 2010 to remove as much of it as possible.

My vision was preserved in each case however I've lost Growth Hormone production and am on thyroid medication to help those levels.

I had radiation after my last surgery. The risk is I could over time loose all pituitary function. The hope is it will slow or stop the persistent tumor's aggressive growth.

12/11/10

What we learned

Treatment options are:
28 daily doses = 5 days a week for 5 1/2 weeks - lowest single doses so lowest risk
5 doses - rarely done - he'd have to check my situation against some research
1 dose - very rarely done because the tumor must be at least 5mm from the optic nerve for him to consider the one shot radiation - high single dose = higher threat.

Dr. Fuss is most concerned with protecting my vision while radiating the tumor. It's possible although I can see either the tumor re growing or the surgery has damaged the optic nerve/s. Damage would make it more vulnerable to radiation. I must have a visual field exam to assess my current status before any radiation. My eye doctor might be able to work me in tomorrow.

Risks are as expected. My risk of losing all pituitary function is high because before surgery it wasn't great, growth damages, surgery damages and radiation damages. Also despite all care I may lose vision in one or both eyes. That risk is low.

Side effects - fatigue so I'll go from feeling like a snail to a sloth and if its the long treatment then I could have some hair loss and skin irritation.

My next visit, the simulation, is on Dec. 16th. I'll have a CT and MRI that day. They overlay the test results to get an absolute accurate picture of where and how large the tumor target is. He'll know from those tests which option I'll have to do but warned us that it usually takes him a week to write up the treatment plan.

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