Treatments for pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs)

The following are types of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) and their treatment options. Your healthcare team will suggest treatments based on your needs and work with you to develop a treatment plan. The treatments offered depend on if the tumour is making too much of a certain hormone.

Drug therapy with dopamine agonists is the main treatment for prolactin-producing tumours (also called prolactinomas). Dopamine agonists are drugs that act like dopamine to lower the amount of prolactin and other hormones that the body makes. The most common dopamine agonists used for prolactin-producing tumours are bromocriptine and cabergoline. Drug therapy is often the only treatment needed for this type of tumour.

Surgery is sometimes used to treat prolactin-producing tumours when drug therapy doesn’t work or can’t be used. Depending on the size of the tumour, doctors can use a transsphenoidal surgery or a craniotomy to remove it.

Find out more about drug therapy and surgery for pituitary gland cancer.

Surgery is a standard treatment for growth hormone–producing tumours (also called somatotroph adenomas). A transsphenoidal surgery is usually done to remove the tumour.

Drug therapy is often needed after surgery for growth hormone–producing tumours. A somatostatin analogue is used to lower growth hormone levels in the body and treat symptoms of acromegaly or gigantism. Sometimes a growth hormone–receptor antagonist is used if somatostatin analogues don’t work. This drug blocks growth hormone from working properly. A dopamine agonist may be used if these treatments don’t work. Drug therapy may also be given before surgery to shrink the tumour and make it easier to remove completely.

Radiation therapy may be offered for growth hormone–producing tumours when surgery can’t be done.

Find out more about surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy for pituitary gland cancer.

Surgery is the standard treatment for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)–producing tumours (also called corticotroph adenomas). Doctors usually use a transsphenoidal surgery to remove the tumour.

Drug therapy may be offered if the tumour is causing symptoms. A somatostatin analogue or steroidogenesis inhibitor may be used to control cortisol levels in the body.

Radiation therapy may be used alone when surgery can’t be done or if the tumour comes back (recurs) after it has been treated.

Find out more about surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy for pituitary gland cancer.

Surgery is usually offered for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)–producing tumours (also called thryotroph adenomas). The type of surgery done will depend on the size of the tumour.

Drug therapy with a somatostatin analogue is sometimes used for TSH-producing tumours. A dopamine agonist may also be used.

If the tumour has grown into nearby tissue and can’t be completely removed, radiation therapy may be offered after surgery. It may also be used to treat tumours that come back after treatment.

Find out more about surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy for pituitary gland cancer.

Surgery is the main treatment for gonadotropin-producing tumours (also called gonadotroph tumours). The type of surgery done depends on the size of the tumour. Surgery is usually done again if the tumour comes back.

Radiation therapy may be used to treat tumours that come back or continue to grow after surgery.

Find out more about surgery and radiation therapy for pituitary gland cancer.

Surgery is the main treatment for tumours that don’t make any hormones (are non-functioning). The type of surgery done depends on the size of the tumour. Surgery is usually done again if the tumour comes back.

Hormone replacement therapy may be used if the tumour is large and causes the pituitary gland to stop making certain hormones. It replaces any of the hormones that the pituitary gland is not making enough of.

Radiation therapy may be used to treat tumours that come back or continue to grow after treatment.

Find out more about surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy for pituitary gland cancer.

Talk to your doctor about clinical trials open to people with PitNETs in Canada. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.