Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

Low-dose Lysodren (mitotane) can help restore growth rates and pubertal development, and lower body mass index (BMI) in children with Cushing’s disease who are not eligible for pituitary surgery. But side effects can be serious and need to be monitored closely, a study reports. The study, “Mitotane (op’DDD)…

Medical therapy using cabergoline is an option for treating patients with persistent or recurrent Cushing’s disease after transsphenoidal surgery, new research from India shows. The study, “Effect of cabergoline monotherapy in Cushing’s disease: an individual participant data meta‑analysis,” was published in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. Cushing’s disease is most…

Minimally invasive diagnostic methods and transnasal surgery may lead to remission in nearly all children with Cushing’s disease, while avoiding more aggressive approaches such as radiation or  removal of the adrenal glands, a study shows. The study, “A personal series of 100 children operated for Cushing’s…

Korlym (mifepristone) is effective for the treatment of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome patients, with survival rates comparable to patients who undergo bilateral adrenalectomy (removal of the adrenal glands), new research shows. The study, “Mifepristone in the treatment of the ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome,” was published in the journal…

Patients with Cushing’s disease whose pituitary tumors bear mutations in the USP8 gene are more likely to experience recurrence, and develop them sooner after surgery, a new study shows. The study, “The USP8 mutational status may predict long-term remission in patients with Cushing’s disease,” was published in the journal Clinical…

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy — the removal of the adrenal glands through tiny holes in the abdomen — is a safe and effective method for treating certain patients with Cushing’s syndrome, according to researchers. Their study, “Effectiveness of unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy in ACTH-independent hypercortisolaemia and subclinical Cushing’s syndrome — a retrospective…

A fluorescent dye that helps surgeons accurately identify anatomical structures is safe and may help guide laparoscopic procedures to remove the adrenal glands, a new study shows. The study, “Role of indo-cyanine green (ICG) fluorescence in laparoscopic adrenalectomy: a retrospective review of 55 Cases,” which included several Cushing’s disease…

Temozolomide — an oral chemotherapy treatment — may be partially effective for Cushing’s disease patients with aggressive pituitary tumors that do not respond to conventional therapies, a case report suggests. However, despite initial tumor stabilization with temozolomide treatment, the patient described in the case report died shortly thereafter, indicating a…

In rare cases, abnormal receptors on the adrenal glands can cause excess cortisol and Cushing’s syndrome, according to a case report. Identifying these receptors can allow physicians to treat the disease pharmacologically rather than surgically, the researchers say. The report, “Two cases of Cushing’s syndrome due to primary…

Patients with a form of Cushing’s syndrome caused by a tumor outside the pituitary gland that produces excess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) could be classified into two subgroups, researchers suggest in a recent study. These subgroups are divided by clinical and biochemical characteristics — mostly by type and stage of the…