D CUEVAS-RAMOS and M FLESERIU Treatment of Cushing’s disease 223:2 R19–R39 Review Treatment of Cushing’s disease: a mechanistic update Daniel Cuevas-Ramos1,2 and Maria Fleseriu3 1Department of Medicine, Pituitary Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA Correspondence 2Neuroendocrinology Clinic, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias should be addressed Me´ dicas y Nutricio´ n Salvador Zubira´ n, Mexico City, Mexico to M Fleseriu 3Departments of Medicine and Neurological Surgery, and Northwest Pituitary Center, Oregon Health & Science Email University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road (BTE 472), Portland, Oregon 97239, USA fl
[email protected] Abstract Cushing’s disease (CD) is characterized by an ACTH-producing anterior corticotrope pituitary Key Words adenoma. If hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis physiology is disrupted, ACTH " cortisol secretion increases, which in turn stimulates adrenocortical steroidogenesis and cortisol " Cushing’s disease production. Medical treatment plays an important role for patients with persistent disease " ACTH after surgery, for those in whom surgery is not feasible, or while awaiting effects of " pasireotide radiation. Multiple drugs, with different mechanisms of action and variable efficacy and " mifepristone tolerability for controlling the deleterious effects of chronic glucocorticoid excess, are " ketoconazole available. The molecular basis and clinical data for centrally acting drugs, adrenal " LCI699 steroidogenesis inhibitors, and glucocorticoid receptor antagonists are reviewed, as are " cabergoline potential novel molecules and future possible targets for CD treatment. Although progress has been made in the understanding of specific corticotrope adenoma receptor physiology Journal of Endocrinology and recent clinical studies have detected improved effects with a combined medical therapy approach, there is a clear need for a more efficacious and better-tolerated medical therapy for patients with CD.