Craniopharyngiomas are noncancerous tumors that form near your pituitary gland. Pituitary adenomas (tumors) develop inside your pituitary gland and are usually noncancerous.
Brain tumors can be cancerous or benign, meaning noncancerous. Benign brain tumors don’t have the potential to spread to other parts of your body, but they can still cause problems if they grow large and put pressure on structures in your brain.
According to the American Brain Tumor Association, there are more than 120 types of brain tumors.
Craniopharyngiomas and pituitary adenomas are two types of benign brain tumors:
- Pituitary adenomas form in your pituitary gland. They are relatively common: Pituitary adenomas are estimated to affect about 175 in 100,000 people. In rare cases, they can become cancer.
- Craniopharyngiomas develop near the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. They’re rarer: Experts estimate they affect about 2 per 100,000 people.
This article examines how these two types of tumors are similar and different.
Here’s a quick look at how craniopharyngiomas and pituitary adenomas compare:
| Craniopharyngioma | Pituitary adenoma | |
|---|---|---|
| Most common age | ages 5–14 years and 50–74 years | middle-aged adults |
| Cause | unknown | unknown but linked to family history in some cases |
| Prevalence | 2 per 100,000 people | around 175 per 100,000 people |
| Cancerous or benign | benign | almost always benign |
| Common symptoms | • headaches • visual problems • nausea and vomiting | • headaches • visual problems • hormone imbalances |
| Treatment | • surgery • radiation therapy | • surgery • radiation therapy • medications |
| Outlook | often cause significant hormone problems and drastically affect quality of life | often have an excellent outlook |
Craniopharyngiomas are rare noncancerous tumors. They
Causes and risk factors
Craniopharyngiomas have no known causes or risk factors, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. They usually grow slowly and are often found incidentally on imaging for unrelated reasons. They’re most commonly diagnosed in people ages 5–14 years or 50–74 years.
If a craniopharyngioma grows large, it can push on other structures, including the:
- pituitary gland
- optic nerves
- optic chiasm, where your optic nerves cross
- hypothalamus
- fluid-filled cavities called sinuses
Symptoms
Compression of structures in your brain
Treatment
Surgically removing craniopharyngiomas can relieve symptoms. Surgery may be combined with radiation therapy.
Outlook
The 10-year survival rate for people with a craniopharyngioma is about
Anywhere from
Pituitary adenomas are relatively common brain tumors that develop in the pituitary gland.
Causes and risk factors
The cause of pituitary adenomas is largely unknown. A family history is seen in about
Symptoms
Small pituitary adenomas that don’t cause symptoms might be very common. Autopsy studies suggest as many as
Some pituitary adenomas secrete hormones. Excessive hormones can cause problems with many aspects of your health. Tumors that grow larger than about
Potential signs and symptoms of pituitary adenoma include:
- visual problems
- headaches
- lack of menstruation
- erectile dysfunction
- fatigue
- weight gain
- cold intolerance
- constipation
- decreased sex drive
- osteoporosis
- Cushing disease, which causes elevated cortisol
- acromegaly, which causes elevated growth hormone
- heart palpitations
- heart arrhythmia
- unintentional weight loss
Treatment
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, most pituitary adenomas can be successfully treated.
Pituitary adenomas are often treated with surgery if they cause symptoms. Surgery is sometimes combined with radiation therapy for aggressive, hormone-producing tumors.
Medications may be needed to restore normal hormone levels after surgery or if you’re not a candidate for surgery.
Outlook
Tumors that are not producing hormones often have an
Tumors that produce hormones can cause complications, but many people can live typical life spans with little to no long-term effects.
Rathke cysts are rare, noncancerous fluid-filled growths that develop between the pituitary gland and the bottom of the brain. The
Doctors often discover Rathke cysts when performing imaging tests for an unrelated condition.
A prolactinoma is a type of pituitary adenoma that produces excess levels of the hormone prolactin. They make up about
High levels of prolactin can cause fertility difficulties and delayed growth in children.
Medications that reduce prolactin levels can often control prolactinomas. They sometimes require surgery.
According to the
Craniopharyngiomas are rare brain tumors that usually develop near the pituitary gland. They often cause significant complications that can impair quality of life.
Pituitary adenomas are more common. They develop in the pituitary gland. Many people with pituitary adenomas live full lives with minimal or no complications.