Quality of life in pituitary tumors

Abstract After treatment, patients with pituitary diseases often still experience complaints or persistent morbidity (physical or psychological), which tend to impair their everyday life and limit their professional, personal, or social activities. In other words, their health-related quality of life is affected. This is especially so in Cushing's disease (in fact, in both pituitary- and adrenal-dependent Cushing's syndrome), hypopituitarism (and especially GH deficiency), and acromegaly. Surgical and/or medical therapy and control of pituitary dysfunction are usually followed by improvement of quality of life, but it is still impaired when compared with healthy matched controls. Understanding of the potential health hazards after being diagnosed with a pituitary disease through patient education and understanding by the involved health professionals help to adapt to the new situation and tend to prevent depression and anxiety. Additionally, support by family, friends, or patient associations all help to improve patients’ perception of health and outcome, improving their quality of life.