Pituitary gland

Hi Librarian

Sorry to hear you are having issues, and further investigations. I hope you get good news!

Yes, to answer your question, I did experience damage to my pituitary gland after having immunotherapy treatment. There is more information about this in my profile.

Avoid any 'alternative' treatments you may come across! Definitely won't have been tested or trialled sufficiently to make them safe for humans. 

Hope you get some answers to the MRI scan soon.

xxxx Kate

Kate, thank you for your reply. I read your profile. You have certainly been through the wringer but appear to be maintaining a positive attitude.

It sounds like you live in a beautiful part of Scotland which is a bonus although not so great regarding how far you have to travel for any treatment. Swings and roundabouts I guess. I'm in Shropshire.

Wishing you all the best for the future.

Vicki x

Hi again Vicki

I've started to notice that quite a few people are reporting problems with their pituitary and thyroid glands after immunotherapy...both here on this forum, and in the Addison's Group forum. It is supposed to be a very rare side effect, 1 in 10,000 people, and it's certainly less than that. I guess these side effects will show up more, as more people receive immunotherapy. It isn't easy to accept, ending up with a serious health condition as a result of cancer treatment!

In my case, the treatment did work, and shrank or stabilised the tumours, so I'm still here to tell the tale! For that I am VERY thankful!

I hope yours is successful too.

Onwards and upwards!

xxx Kate

 Hello Librarian  ,sorry I am writing this after a break,my husband  being in hospital, my husband has a metastatic kidney tumour spread into his spine and now into his lung, he had one cycle of immunotherapy in July 2024, he ended up very poorly after it, hallucinating , cramps and other symptoms, took him to A and E after advice from our cancer care team,  blood tests were taken and it turns out he had very low sodium, put on restricted fluid 1.5 ltrs a day after he was sent home a week later we went to our Oncology Consultant he said the immunotherapy had damaged his pituarty gland, immunotherapy treatment stopped , he hasn't been the same since, other treatments have failed and still on restricted fluid, so immunotherapy does this to some people.

Ann, I am so sorry to hear of the problems that your husband has had with this treatment, it must be very hard on both of you. I hope that something can be done to improve the situation.

As Kate says the more people that are treated with immunotherapy the more of these issues will come to light.   Perhaps some of these side effects will prove to be less rare than currently believed.

I see the oncologist later this month so will find out more then. Currently I feel well which is a bonus.

Thinking of you and your husband at this terrible time and wishing you all the best.

Vicki xx

Dear Librarian,

Thankyou so much for reply, hope all goes well for you and you continue to feel well.