News Articles May 2023

WWE Wrestler Discusses his Pituitary Journey

WWE Wrestler Tolulope “Jordan” Omogbehin, known as Omos or the Nigerian Giant, discusses his diagnoses of acromegaly and a form of Cushings, along with his two neurosurgeries, in an article for The Sportster.   Read more: 

Photo courtesy of Diva Insider/Wikimedia Commons

 

Cushing’s Patients Report Persistent Pain, Anxiety, Weight Gain

A new study surveyed Cushing’s patients and found that many report continuing pain, anxiety and weight gain even after treatment. But patients who underwent surgery experienced fewer issues, comparatively. Read more from Cushing’s Disease News

or see the abstract for the original study:

Pituitary Apoplexy: Surgery and Medical Therapy Have Similar Results

A study released at the recent American Association of Neurological Surgeons Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles finds comparable outcomes from medical treatment of pituitary apoplexy versus surgical treatment. Read more:

Proton Therapy for Craniopharyngioma

An article in U.S. News and World Report talks about a study that looked at the efficacy of proton therapy for treatment of craniopharyngioma, in particular in preventing learning deficiencies. Read more:

Balancing Your Hormones

An article in Science Daily goes over the major hormones, their functions, and recommends proper diet, exercise, sleep and stress management to keep them in balance.  Read more:

News Articles April 2023

Beware of Cortisol Misinformation on Social Media

An article in Cushing’s Disease News warns of the problem of social media influencers who promote theories or products designed to lower cortisol levels.  Read more:

TikToks Fuel Interest in Cortisol

The New York Times also delves into the subject of TikTok videos that blame various ailments on cortisol levels, and gives a primer on what cortisol really does.  Read more:

Pachydermoperiostosis: A Condition That Mimics Acromegaly

An article on Cureus.com looks at a case report of a 24-year-old man with pachydermoperiostosis, a disease the has many of the symptoms of acromegaly but can be diagnosed with additional testing.  Read more:

Report: Pituitary Microadenomas May Require Less Frequent MRIs

An article in 2-minute medicine looks at a study that found slow growth in pituitary microadenomas, and says that the current standard of repeating an MRI every three years may be safely extended to a longer timeline. Read more:

7-year-old Figure Skater Battles Craniopharyngioma

A story from King 5 News in Seattle tells the story of 7-year-old Rose King, who is fighting a craniopharyngioma and recently had her fourth brain surgery. Read more:

News Articles March 2023

Case Study Links Mifepristone in Cushing’s Patient to Liver Damage

A study published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports looks at the experience of a woman with Cushing’s who was treated with Korylm (mifepristone) and who developed liver damage.   Read more here:   

Or here:

Portable MRI Scanners Proliferate

An article in the magazine “Science” looks at a new generation of portable low-field MRI scanners that make imaging more accessible throughout the world.  Read more:

New Classification Scheme for Ovulatory Disorders

An article in “Focus on Reproduction” explains that the international Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) has come up with a new way to classify ovulatory disorders – adding PCOS as a category, alongside hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary.  Read more:

Factors Behind Obesity

An article on Endocrine Web goes over the primary contributors to obesity, which has become a national health threat. Read more:

Cortisol and Energy Levels

An article in Fashion Journal.au explains the role the hormone cortisol plays in people’s energy levels and recommends people concerned about it see a doctor, reduce stress, eat well and get more sleep. Read more:

The Science Behind Stress

An article in epigram.org looks at the biology of stress and the hormones involved. Read more:

Xeris Biopharma Announces FDA Grants Orphan-drug Exclusivity for Recorlev®

January 30, 2023


CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jan. 30, 2023– Xeris Biopharma Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: XERS), a growth-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient lives by developing and commercializing innovative products across a range of therapies, today announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted its subsidiary Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., orphan-drug exclusivity (ODE) for Recorlev® (levoketoconazole) for the treatment of adult patients with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome for whom surgery is not an option or has not been curative.


As the first approval of levoketoconazole (Recorlev) for Cushing’s syndrome, Xeris is entitled to seven years of orphan-drug market exclusivity from its FDA approval date of December 30, 2021. The FDA’s Orphan Drug Designation program is designed to advance the development of drugs that treat a condition affecting 200,000 or fewer U.S. patients annually. This regulatory exclusivity is in addition to the patent exclusivity under Xeris’ U.S. patents covering Recorlev and its therapeutic use, which extends to at least March 2040.


“Cushing’s syndrome is a rare disease that can be physically and emotionally devastating to the patient. Most patients endure years of symptoms prior to obtaining a diagnosis and are then faced with limited effective treatment options,” said Paul R. Edick, Xeris’ Chairman and CEO. “We are excited to receive this important orphan-drug exclusivity approval for Recorlev on a new therapeutic option that can address symptoms while treating the root cause of the disease for this underserved Cushing’s patient community.” 


Mr. Edick continued, “Recorlev is an important and welcome therapeutic option for clinicians to help manage patients with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome, a severe, potentially life-threatening rare disease. The approval of Recorlev was based upon data from two positive Phase 3 studies that evaluated a combined study population of 166 patients and was shown to be effective for reducing and normalizing cortisol.”


In order to serve and support this community, Xeris is committed to ensuring everyone who needs access to their therapies will receive it. Xeris hascreated Xeris CareConnection™ to provide a comprehensive program for patients and their caregivers throughout the treatment journey, includingfinancial assistance, one-on-one support, and educational resources. Xeris CareConnection also supports healthcare professionals and their teams through education on access and reimbursement. For more information visit our website (www.recorlev.com) or contact Xeris CareConnection (available Monday–Friday from 8 a.m–7 p.m ET) at 1-844-444-RCLV (7258).Xeris Biopharma Announces FDA Grants Orphan-drug Exclusivity for Recorlev®

News Articles February 2023

Bones of 18th Century Acromegalic Taken Off Museum Display

Photo courtesy of the Queen Mary University of London.

The bones of an 18th century acromegalic Irish man named Charles Byrne were on display as a medical curiosity for 140 years before being taken off display, in accordance with his last wishes. Byrne was almost 8 feet tall when he died in 1783 and had requested a burial at sea, however a friend sold his body to a surgeon named John Hunter. It eventually ended up on display at the Hunterian Museum, which is affiliated with the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Read more:

 

 

Transsphenoidal Pituitary Neurosurgery: A Moment by Moment Account

Dr. Mazda Turel, a neurosurgeon in Mumbai, India, tells the story of a transsphenoidal surgery he performed. He explains each step in a drama with perilous twists and turns. Read more:

Cushing’s Case Report: Severe Infection and Electrolyte Imbalance

An article in Cushing’s Disease News looks at the case of an 82-year-old woman who presented with a severe muscle infection and an imbalance of electrolytes. She was diagnosed with Cushing’s but passed away from infectious complications from a surgery before she could be treated for Cushing’s. Read more:

11-year-old Patient Battles Tumor Pressing on Pituitary

An article in Spring Advertiser.co tells the story of an 11-year-old girl who is battling optic nerve hypoplasia – and has a schwannoma pressing on her pituitary. Read more:

More Articles

Available Now!

The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide Sixth Edition is now available! Be one of the first to have the most up-to-date information. The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide a one of a kind publication intended as an invaluable source of information not only for patients but also their families, physicians, and all health care providers. It contains information on symptoms, proper testing, how to get a diagnosis, and the treatment options that are available. It also includes Pituitary Network Association's patient resource listings for expert medical care.

If you are a nurse or medical professional, register for PNA CEU Membership and earn CEU credits to learn about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for patients with pituitary disorders. Help PNA reduce the time it takes for patients to get an accurate diagnosis.

For more information click here!

Available Now!

The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide Sixth Edition is now available! Be one of the first to have the most up-to-date information. The Pituitary Patient Resource Guide a one of a kind publication intended as an invaluable source of information not only for patients but also their families, physicians, and all health care providers. It contains information on symptoms, proper testing, how to get a diagnosis, and the treatment options that are available. It also includes Pituitary Network Association’s patient resource listings for expert medical care.

Buy Now

PNA Gratefully Acknowledges our Supporters

Continuing Education Program

If you are a nurse or medical professional, register for PNA CEU Membership and  earn CEU credits to learn about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for patients with pituitary disorders. Help PNA reduce the time it takes for patients to get an accurate diagnosis.

Register Now!

For more information click here!

Coming Events

Helpful Resources

Pituitary Patient Tool Kit

Check out our new educational tools!

Downloadable Pituitary Brochures

Our print quality brochures are now available for download.