A rare pituitary tumor found in a 13-year-old boy
Original title: Case Report: Pediatric ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma presenting with hypertension and anuria.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a report on one patient who was treated, not a test of a new treatment.
The short version
Doctors describe one teenage boy whose sudden headache and very high blood pressure turned out to come from a small tumor in his pituitary gland.
What was studied. This is a report about one patient. A 13-year-old boy came to the hospital with a sudden bad headache, no urine, and very high blood pressure of 180/120 mmHg. He had also gained 20 kg over 2 months.
What they found. Blood tests showed a high level of a hormone called ACTH, at 190 pg/mL. His cortisol pattern was off, and his potassium was low. A scan showed a small fluid-filled spot, 6mmx5 mm, on the left side of his pituitary gland. There had been sudden bleeding or loss of blood flow inside the tumor. Surgery through the nose removed it, and tests on the tissue confirmed the tumor was making ACTH. With surgery and hormone medicine, he was still doing well at the 3-year follow-up.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Signs like a sudden headache, fast weight gain, and very high blood pressure in a child can come from a pituitary tumor. These signs are easy to mistake for other problems. In this boy, surgery and hormone medicine gave a good result that lasted for years. The report is meant to help doctors spot this sooner.
What it doesn't mean: This is one patient's story, not a study of many people. It does not show a new treatment, and it is not a cure for brain tumors. It cannot tell us how often this happens, or how well the same care would work for someone else. What happened for this boy may not happen for you. Talk with your own care team about your situation.
Source: PubMed, July 8, 2026 · Read the original
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