Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

A man with Cushing’s syndrome developed a rare Mycobacterium szulgai skin infection after cleaning his tropical fish tank, a study in China reported. This mycobacterium is typically found in environmental water sources, including hospital taps, ice machines, fish tanks, and swimming pools, and most reported cases of infection in humans…

Double pituitary adenomas — noncancerous tumors that cause Cushing’s disease — were detected in up to 13% of patients having tumor removal surgery at a hospital in Ukraine, a study reports. While MRI scans detected some of the additional tumors, others were discovered by a comprehensive inspection of the…

Low-grade inflammation persisted in people with Cushing’s syndrome one year after surgery to remove disease-causing tumors that led to excess cortisol, the hallmark of the condition, a recent study revealed. High levels of inflammatory markers were associated significantly with post-surgical obesity, high blood sugar levels, and worse long-term muscle function,…

A federal court ruling in Texas that reversed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 23-year-old approval of mifepristone has been met with deep concern by the Endocrine Society. Mifepristone, the active ingredient in Mifeprex, is used to end a pregnancy. It’s also the active ingredient of Korlym,…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Xeris Pharmaceuticals orphan-drug exclusivity for Recorlev (levoketoconazole), its approved treatment for adults with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome. Orphan-drug exclusivity provides the company — which recently acquired the therapy’s developer, Strongbridge Biopharma — seven years of marketing exclusivity for Recorlev…

The hormone aldosterone may contribute to high blood pressure in people with subclinical hypercortisolism — those who have high levels of cortisol due to tumors in the adrenal glands, but do not have overt symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome. Aldosterone, excessively produced and released by the adrenal glands in these patients,…

PROP1, a pituitary gland protein that regulates gene activity related to hormone production, may play a role in the development of noncancerous tumors that cause Cushing’s disease, a small preliminary study suggested. According to researchers, PROP1 may be a therapeutic target for pituitary tumors. Future studies involving a larger…

High levels of dietary zinc induced signs of Cushing’s syndrome in a postmenopausal mouse model, a study suggested. Weight gain, obesity, and diabetes were also seen in postmenopausal mice fed a high-zinc diet. Tests in postmenopausal women were consistent with these findings, with higher blood zinc levels correlating with…

11oxC19 steroids, which are part of the androgen family of male sex hormones, are the primary drivers of hyperandrogenemia in women with Cushing’s disease, a study has found. Hyperandrogenemia, or high levels of androgens, in women with Cushing’s can lead to menstrual problems, acne, excessive body hair, and temporary…

Single-cell analysis of non-cancerous pituitary gland tumors that cause Cushing’s disease identified a novel therapeutic target with the potential to suppress tumor cell growth, a study has revealed. Although cells from such tumors, called adenomas, had excess production of noxa — a protein that stimulates cell death — noxa…