Andrea Lobo,  —

A survey of U.S. doctors treating people with Cushing’s syndrome noted a considerable burden of symptoms, ranging from fatigue to muscle weakness, that weigh on patients’ life quality and personal finances, and a need for better treatments. These endocrinologists  — physicians who specialize in disorders affecting hormone-producing glands — also…

More biomarkers are necessary for the differential diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome subtypes in children and adolescents, as well as to predict disease progression more effectively — allowing for quicker and less invasive assessments of patients. That’s according to the results of a new, large, observational study, which also reported on…

A 27-year-old woman in China has become the first reported case of an adult developing ectopic Cushing’s syndrome as a result of a rare yolk sac tumor in the pancreas producing high levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) precursors, according to researchers. A yolk sac tumor is a rare, malignant tumor…

A 32-year-old woman with a rare case of two pituitary tumors required two surgeries to treat her Cushing’s disease, according to a recent report. Her disease was caused by one tumor, or adenoma, that resulted in high amounts of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The other tumor, called a prolactinoma, causes…

Cushing’s syndrome in a 45-year-old woman was complicated by primary aldosteronism, the result of tumors in the adrenal glands secreting both cortisol and aldosterone, according to a case reported in China. Aldosteronism occurs when the adrenal glands produce high levels of aldosterone, a hormone that regulates blood pressure and balances…

Surgery can partially reverse functional impairments in brain networks in people with Cushing’s disease after three months, when their cortisol levels return to normal, according to a recent study. Researchers say elevated cortisol levels in patients with active disease are linked to connectivity impairments in three large-scale functional brain…

A recent study supports the reliability of a diagnostic tool to distinguish adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent forms of Cushing’s syndrome in people who have inconclusive imaging or biochemical test results. The procedure, called bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS), is able to accurately differentiate patients with Cushing’s disease from…

Surgery to remove a tumor in the brain’s pituitary gland is effective in patients 75 years or older, including those with Cushing’s disease, and is associated with a low rate of complications, according to a study in France. The surgery was generally performed using a minimally invasive procedure and…

A pregnant woman underwent a successful laparoscopic adrenalectomy, a minimally invasive surgery to remove tumors in the adrenal glands, for Cushing’s syndrome which was caused by such a tumor and resolved, according to a case report. Although it is the standard treatment for adrenal tumors, laparoscopic adrenalectomy is not commonly done…

A 44-year-old man developed exogenous, or treatment-related, Cushing’s syndrome, after taking an herbal supplement called Nhan Sam Tuyet Lien, which contained undisclosed amounts of glucocorticoids, a case study reports. His symptoms eased after he stopped taking the supplement and started taking prednisone. “This case highlights the importance of history taking…