More Treatments for Cushing?s Disease

[~MaryO~]

(Ivanhoe Newswire) ? Cushing?s disease is a hormone disorder that causes many symptoms, such as high blood pressure, fat accumulation, osteoporosis and ultimately ending in death. It is caused by a tumor in the anterior pituitary gland that secretes excess amounts of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). The only treatment is removal of the tumor, however, researchers have found a new treatment for these reoccurring tumors.

 

Researchers, led by Shlomo Melmed, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, have now identified a potential new therapeutic target -- the protein EGFR, which is the target of a drug used to treat some patients with non?small cell lung cancer (gefitinib). As discussed by Melmed and colleagues in their paper, as well as Frederic Wondisford, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, in an accompanying commentary, the data generated in human, canine, and mouse models provide strong support to investigate the clinical effects of gefitinib in patients with Cushing disease.

 

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Investigation, published online November 21, 2011

 

From http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=28468

 

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[Tofu]

(Ivanhoe Newswire) ? Cushing?s disease is a hormone disorder that causes many symptoms, such as high blood pressure, fat accumulation, osteoporosis and ultimately ending in death. It is caused by a tumor in the anterior pituitary gland that secretes excess amounts of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). The only treatment is removal of the tumor, however, researchers have found a new treatment for these reoccurring tumors.

 

Researchers, led by Shlomo Melmed, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, have now identified a potential new therapeutic target -- the protein EGFR, which is the target of a drug used to treat some patients with non?small cell lung cancer (gefitinib). As discussed by Melmed and colleagues in their paper, as well as Frederic Wondisford, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, in an accompanying commentary, the data generated in human, canine, and mouse models provide strong support to investigate the clinical effects of gefitinib in patients with Cushing disease.

 

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Investigation, published online November 21, 2011

 

From http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=28468

 

 

 

Thanks for posting this! I wonder when/if they are going to start trials.

[~MaryO~]

If I see anything, I'll post it!

[MCF]

One of the things I came across years ago when researching psoriasis and Cushing's was that both disorders include the finding of elevated levels of epidermal growth factor, EGRF... which may explain why so many folks with psoriasis find it cured following pituitary surgery. Surgeries for thyroid cancer have also led to cure of P. Prolactinoma is also associated with psoriasis.

[SusanM]

I wonder if this is also true for hyperplasia as well; the article doesn't say. Hyperplasia is a bit different than an adenoma but still causes Cushings.

[MCF]

I can't say, Susan, but I do know that one of the treatments often employed for severe psoriasis is the chemotherapy drug methotrexate, at much lower than cancer doses. It radically depletes folate, and pit adenomas are apparently jam packed with folate receptors. In one case I read about, an undiagnosed pit adenoma came to light in a cancer patient who had pit apoplexy following administration of chemo drugs.

I wonder if it could be assumed that hyperplasia is a precursor to tumor formation, at least some of the time?

[ADDflower]

This is interesting... since my pituitary surgery I've developed psorisis on my eyelids, eyebrows, sides of my nose and worsening bits in my scalp and my left elbow. I wonder if there is any relation?

[MCF]

This is interesting... since my pituitary surgery I've developed psorisis on my eyelids, eyebrows, sides of my nose and worsening bits in my scalp and my left elbow. I wonder if there is any relation?

 

 

I would bet on it. Is it certain that it's P and not seborrheic dermatitis? Both are very commonplace in Cushing's and can look alike.

[SusanM]

I wonder if it could be assumed that hyperplasia is a precursor to tumor formation, at least some of the time?

 

No, hyperplasia is not a precursor to tumor formation. It is different at the cellular level.