News

An 81-year-old woman being treated for a severe and persistent electrolyte imbalance was found to have a tumor in her lung which eventually led to her diagnosis of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome, according to a case report. Electrolytes are minerals in body fluids that carry an electric charge and are vital…

A woman with Cushing’s syndrome developed an ulcer that caused a gastrointestinal perforation, or a hole in the digestive tract, according to a case study. Because she had no established risk factors for such a complication, researchers suggested prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol, or hypercortisolism, may have contributed…

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…

Radiation therapy, which is often used when surgery fails to completely remove a pituitary tumor, led to the development of a secondary and aggressive tumor in a woman with Cushing’s disease. “Our case highlights a rare but devastating long-term complication of pituitary tumor irradiation after Cushing disease. The…

The unusual case of a woman with Cushing’s syndrome caused by an adrenal tumor who experienced recurring episodes of blood clots in the lungs was described in a recent report. The study, “Adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting phaeochromocytoma as a cause of treatment-resistant hypertension and recurrent pulmonary emboli,” was published…

Analyzing the levels of a molecule called S1P — fully known as sphingosine-1-phosphate — in the tissue surrounding a pituitary gland tumor in Cushing’s disease patients can help determine the side of the gland on which the tumor is located. That’s according to a study that made use of…

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…

A five-week, low-calorie ketogenic diet led to weight loss and reduced blood pressure in people with Cushing’s disease in a small study. The diet also lowered blood levels of cholesterol and other fatty molecules, but did not alter cortisol levels, which are typically elevated in Cushing’s patients. Findings were…

Patients with persistent Cushing’s disease may benefit from combining Signifor (pasireotide) with cabergoline, according to the findings of a Phase 2 clinical trial. The results suggest the combo therapy “could be an effective long-term strategy for enhancing the control of CD [Cushing’s disease]” in patients who fail to respond or…

Corcept Therapeutics is expecting to earn nearly $500 million in revenue this year, which is due in large part to the increased recognition of Cushing’s syndrome, the company noted in a recent corporate update. Corcept, which markets Korlym (mifepristone) — a therapy approved to control high blood sugar in…