Andrea Lobo,  —

Andrea Lobo is a Science writer at BioNews. She holds a Biology degree and a PhD in Cell Biology/Neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. She was a postdoctoral and senior researcher at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health in Porto, in drug addiction, studying neuronal plasticity induced by amphetamines. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals. She shifted towards a career in science writing and communication in 2022.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

Case of exogenous Cushing’s tied to accidental use of glucocorticoid

A 66-year-old woman developed exogenous Cushing’s syndrome — when the disease is unintentionally caused by medications — after accidentally taking a glucocorticoid prescribed for her husband, according to a case report. Exogenous Cushing’s syndrome is the most common form of the condition, but usually is triggered by the use…

Doctors see Cushing’s symptoms as considerable, favor better therapies

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 needed to support Cushing’s syndrome diagnosis

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…

Ectopic Cushing’s tied to rare yolk sac tumor in pancreas

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…

Woman needed 2 tumor surgeries to resolve rare case of Cushing’s

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 complicated by tumors secreting 2 hormones

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 restore certain brain networks in Cushing’s

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…

BIPSS can reliably diagnose Cushing’s after inconclusive tests

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…

Pituitary tumor surgery found safe, effective in elderly patients

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…