However, they are much more common in women than in men. Men who develop prolactinomas tend to be in the older age range, although they can present at any age, including in children.
Men tend to have larger tumors on presentation, although they can be of any size.
Symptoms due to tumor mass . An enlarging pituitary tumor can cause a wide variety of symptoms, regardless of overproduction of any hormones. Effects of the mass itself include headaches, which can be of varying severity, location, and type. Other effects of the mass include loss of vision, which is especially prominent in the periphery of vision. For example, patients with large pituitary tumors may notice that they cannot see the red light at a stop light, or that they run into the curb when trying to turn a car, or that people are able to approach them without notice from the side.