Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

Researchers have reported the case of a person who developed Cushing’s syndrome due to a tumor in the thymus, which was successfully managed with surgical removal and radiation therapy. The case report, “Cushing’s syndrome caused by ACTH-producing thymic typical carcinoid with local invasion and regional lymph node metastasis: a…

Cushing’s syndrome patients diagnosed earlier in the disease’s course are more likely to have better mental health and health-related quality of life in the long term, a study reports. The study, “Surviving ectopic Cushing’s syndrome: Quality of life, cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in comparison to Cushing’s disease during long-term…

MEKT1, a type of therapy called a PPAR-γ agonist, acts to reduce levels of the adrenocorticotropic hormone and could be a potential new therapy for Cushing’s disease, according to researchers. Their study, “Inhibitory Effects of a Novel PPAR-γ Agonist MEKT1 on Pomc Expression/ACTH Secretion in AtT20…

Radiation therapy targeting the entire sella — the compartment where the pituitary gland resides at the base of the brain — is effective at controlling Cushing’s disease and should be considered for patients with suspected invasive adenoma tumors, a new study shows. The study, “Technique of Whole-Sellar Stereotactic Radiosurgery for…

Cushing’s disease patients with macroadenomas — pituitary tumors larger than 10 mm — should undergo transsphenoidal pituitary surgery using the endoscopic technique, according to a new systematic review. The study, “Endoscopic vs. microscopic transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” was published in…

Millendo Therapeutics‘ experimental small molecule ATR-101 shows promise as a treatment for Cushing’s disease in dogs, suggesting its potential in humans with the syndrome, according to a new study. It also suggests that dogs with naturally occurring Cushing’s could be used as a model for human disease. The disease is…

After adjusting for remission rates, patients with Cushing’s syndrome were found to have similar health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores at long-term follow-up, regardless of whether the disease originated in the pituitary or adrenal gland, according to a recent study. The study, “Worse Health‐Related Quality of Life at…

Tumors located outside of the pituitary gland — most commonly small-cell lung cancer — can lead to ectopic Cushing’s syndrome, a new case report shows. The study with that finding, “Case-series of paraneoplastic Cushing syndrome in small-cell lung cancer,” was published in the journal Endocrinology, Diabetes…

Measuring the levels of a specific enzyme in pituitary tumors producing excess adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) may help predict the recurrence of Cushing’s disease in patients, a study shows. The study, “Expression of MMP-9, PTTG, HMGA2, and Ki-67 in ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors and their association with tumor recurrence,”…

Interactions between the HIV therapy Norvir (ritonavir) and inhaled budesonide, a glucocorticoid often used for asthma or other lung diseases, can lead to the development of Cushing’s syndrome, a recent study reports. The study, “Iatrogenic Cushing Syndrome in a 47-Year-Old HIV-Positive Woman on Ritonavir and Inhaled…