A large majority of pituitary tumours are benign meaning that they do not spread to the cells of other surrounding tissues as opposed to cancerous tumours which are malignant and can spread to other parts of the body .Among the general lay populace it is a daunting task to try and explain the difference between pituitary adenomas and other malignant tumours without giving an impression that the former has a lesser impact on people’s lives or health than the latter. Many perceive cancer as a death sentence requiring urgent attention or medical intervention in contrast to other benign tumors. However pituitary tumours though benign in nature have highly debilitating effects which may be malignant. Apart from the pains due to the mass effect of the tumours or arthritic joints; endocrine disturbances, impaired metabolism and psychological effects form a complex quandary requiring sophisticated disease management protocols in order to successfully restore or improve the quality of life.

The first step to achieving a successful therapeutic outcome is early identification of the lesion and eventually seeking professional help immediately. Hence PICOMSA has taken up a complimentary role to the work done by our medical professionals by raising awareness and educating communities to be on high alert, look out for early signs of pituitary tumours with a view to improving time of referral to tertiary centers.







Pituitary Community South Africa is a voluntary patient organisation. Membership is free and is open to patients, care-givers and medical professionals.