High doses of radiation therapy delivered over two-to-five sessions offer results similar to that of radiation given in a single high-dose session for Cushing’s disease patients whose cortisol levels remain high after surgery, a retrospective study found. Unlike the single-dose approach, this multi-session therapy may also be a safe and convenient option for…
Having Cushing’s disease can increase a person’s risk of infectious disease complications like tuberculous meningitis — when the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis affects the central nervous system — a case report suggests. The study, “Tuberculous Meningitis in a Patient with Cushing’s Disease: Glucocorticoid-mediated Immunosuppression:…
When multiple tumors in the pituitary gland lead to overproduction of  hormones besides ACTH, patients may have features of Cushing’s disease and a wide array of additional symptoms, a case report suggests. The study, “Double pituitary adenomas with synchronous somatotroph and corticotroph clinical presentation of acromegaly and…
Delusions — fixed beliefs that do not change even when confronted with refutable evidence — are among the mental manifestations that can be  primary symptoms of Cushing’s disease, a case report suggests. The study, “Losing my mind: an uncommon presentation of Cushing’s disease,” was published in…
Fluconazole — a treatment for fungal infections that can lower cortisol levels — could be a potential therapy for severe Cushing’s syndrome caused by ACTH-secreting tumors located outside the pituitary gland, a case report suggests. According to the report, “Fluconazole treatment in severe…
Cushing’s syndrome can cause blood clots, which might interfere with the pinpointing of ACTH-producing tumors in uncommon places such as the lungs, a case report suggests. The study, “Pulmonary embolism as the presenting symptom and a confounder in ACTH-secreting bronchial carcinoid,” was published in the journal…
Cushing’s syndrome might lead to congestive heart failure — when the heart pumps blood inefficiently, causing stress in internal organs and fluid retention — in pregnant women, a case report suggests. If doctors suspect Cushing’s syndrome during pregnancy, they should make timely decisions to avoid complications for the…
The oral chemotherapy temozolomide might be an effective treatment for Cushing’s disease caused by aggressive tumors in the pituitary gland that continue to grow after surgery and taking other medications, a case report suggests. The study, “Successful reduction of ACTH secretion in a case of…
In some rare cases, Cushing’s disease patients have a benign pituitary tumor that produces several pituitary hormones in excess, rather than just the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). When these tumors also produce prolactin, they can be treated with dopamine agonists as an alternative to surgery, a case report suggests. The…
Metoclopramide, a gastrointestinal medicine, can increase cortisol levels after unilateral adrenalectomy — the surgical removal of one adrenal gland — and conceal adrenal insufficiency in bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (BMAH) patients, a case report suggests. The study, “Retention of aberrant cortisol secretion in a patient with…
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