News

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…

A study examining the genes expressed in pituitary tumors of Cushing’s disease patients found that these tumors may be grouped into three distinct subsets. The finding suggests that different biological processes contribute to the development of each subset, an insight that may aid in developing targeted therapies. The study, “…

Cushing’s syndrome patients who have adrenal insufficiency have increased risk of death due to disease-related complications, rather than adrenal crisis or adverse occurrences, an observational study suggests. The study, “Mortality data from the European Adrenal Insufficiency Registry—Patient characterization and associations,” was published in the journal Clinical…

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 disease patients who exhibit nodules or masses in their lungs should be thoroughly investigated to exclude fungal infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, a study from China suggests. While rare, the infection can be life-threatening, showing a particularly worse prognosis in patients with fluid infiltration in their lungs or with low white blood…

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…

Medical treatment appears to be an effective and safe way to normalize cortisol levels in patients with Cushing’s syndrome, and may be a treatment option, a review study reports. The research, “Effectiveness of medical treatment for Cushing’s syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” appeared in the…

Children with pituitary adenomas have similar responses to surgery and long-term outcomes as adult patients with the same type of tumors, new research shows. The only exception are growth hormone (GH)-secreting tumors, which have higher recurrence rates in children than adults. The study, “Pediatric Pituitary Adenomas: Early and…

Researchers have identified several parameters that could help distinguish silent corticotroph adenomas — benign pituitary tumors that produce adrenocorticotropic hormone — from other nonfunctioning pituitary tumors. Because these tumors usually have a more aggressive clinical course, the findings may help determine the most appropriate management approach for patients before they undergo…