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:
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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:
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:
News Articles January 2023
Doctor Notices Symptoms of Acromegaly in Patient’s Wife
A story in the Times of India explains how a neurologist, treating a patient for back pain, noticed some changes in the patient’s wife’s face. The wife had accompanied her husband to his appointment, and the doctor noticed that her nose and lips appeared larger, and her teeth more spaced out. He asked if her shoe size had gotten bigger, and when she answered in the affirmative he sent her for tests, which revealed that she had harbored a tumor for two years. he Mayo Clinic has produced a podcast with frequently asked questions on pituitary tumors. Check it out here
Tips on Getting Through Your First Brain MRI
A column in Cushing’s Disease News goes through what to expect during a brain MRI, and how to calm your nerves. Read more:
Does the Pituitary Help People Wake Up Just Before the Alarm?
A story on NPR looks at whether people can train themselves to wake up just before the alarm and the role the pituitary might play. It cites one study from the 90s that did find that when people were expecting to wake up at a certain time, their pituitary released ACTH about an hour before the wake time, which stimulates the adrenals to release cortisol, which helps wake people up.. Read more:
Florida 10-year-old Battles Cancer on Pituitary Gland
A story on CBS Miami follows a 10-year-old girl in Homestead, Florida who is fighting mixed germ cell cancer that is taking over her pituitary gland. Her little brother shaved his head in solidarity. Read more:
Acromegalic, Known as World’s Tallest Man, Turns 40
Acromegalic Sultan Kosen, who is known as the world’s tallest man at 8’3”, has turned 40 . He traveled from Turkey to Orlando to visit an exhibit about Robert Wadlow, who was 8’11” when he passed away at age 22 in 1940. Modern medical advances have helped many acromegalics lead long lives. Read More:
Pituitary Journey: Soccer Star Lionel Messi
An article on News9Live.com explains that international soccer star Lionel Messi suffered from pituitary dwarfism as a child and received growth hormone injections that allowed him to pursue his athletic dreams. Read more:
News Articles December 2022
Pituitary Q & A
The Mayo Clinic has produced a podcast with frequently asked questions on pituitary tumors. Check it out here
Optometrist Spots Signs of Pituitary Tumor; Patient Gets Emergency Surgery
Nonmedical professionals like jewelers, shoe salespersons and optometrists can make a big impact in a patient’s life – by spotting signs of pituitary disease. An article in Insight News tells the story of an extra vigilant optometrist who spotted a red flag, and may have saved a woman’s life. Read more:
Case Study: Keto Diet Alleviates Symptoms of Cushing’s But Delays Diagnosis
An article in Cushing’s Disease News looks at a case study about a man who lost weight on a low carb ketogenic diet, which lessened his symptoms of what turned out to be Cushing’s Disease, but in doing so may have delayed his diagnosis. Read more:
TV Actor Recounts Battle With Pituitary Dwarfism
Actor Max Casella, who has co-starred in shows like “Doogie Howser, MD”,“The Sopranos”, “Boardwalk Empire” and “Tulsa King” talks about growing up with pituitary dwarfism in an article on PageSix.com. He underwent hormone therapy in his twenties to finally jumpstart puberty. Read more:
Can ‘Mini Pituitary Tumors’ Help Improve Treatments?
The website chof360.com looks at A study in the journal Cells looks at efforts by researchers to develop organoids, or organelles – basically cell structures grown in a lab using cells from pituitary surgeries. The study says these mini pituitary tumors mimic the structure of an adenoma, and thus may be useful in developing targeted therapies for Cushing’s patients. Read more:
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News Articles November 2022
Myths about Low Testosterone An article from the Cleveland Clinic knocks down myths about low testosterone and the role of masturbation, vasectomy, soy, smoking and more. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/causes-of-low-testosterone-myths-and-truths/ Summer Camp...
News Articles October 2022
Can Yoga Help with PCOS? An article in Indian Express explores the role of yoga in helping treat PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Read more here: COVID Vaccine and Menstruation An article in SHAPE looks at a new study from the National Institutes of Health about...
News Articles September 2022
Mother Fights to Get School Staff Trained on Pituitary Injections A mother in the U-K is working to get training for staff at her daughter’s school, so they can give her an emergency injection. The girl suffers from panhypopituitarism and may require a hydrocortisone...
News Articles August 2022
Chinese Cancer Researchers Study Pituitary Hormone Receptors The Journal Science reports that researchers with the University of Science and Technology of China “have made a breakthrough in the treatment of cancer through immunotherapy, identifying a particular...
News Articles July 2022
Patient Story: Shifting Bite Leads to Diagnosis of Acromegaly A story in the New York Times tells the story of a woman who kept having problems with her bite. The dentist filed her teeth but sent her for and MRI when the jaw shifted again. That’s when a technician saw...
News Articles June 2022
Scott Hamilton Bikes 444 miles for Cancer Research A longtime friend of the PNA, Olympic ice skater Scott Hamilton, recently finished a 444-mile bike ride to raise money for glioblastoma cancer research. Hamilton overcame a pituitary tumor and testicular cancer. The...
News Articles May 2022
Pituitary Journey: Cushing's Disease Today.com published a feature about a Georgia woman’s fight to for a diagnosis of Cushing’s disease. The article also quotes PNA member Dr. Nelson Oyesiku, who performed her surgery. Read more: Pituitary Failure and COVID An...
News Articles April 2022
Endrocrine System Disrupted by COVID-19 An article in Medscape shows that ACE-2 receptors in endocrine glands are a gateway to the cells for COVID-19, particularly affecting patients with diabetes. Read more: Promising Treatments for Cushing's Two articles in...
News Articles March 2022
Pituitary Story: Getting Your Life Back After Cushing’s Disease A 23-year-old Florida college student underwent surgery for Cushing’s Disease. Read more: Pituitary Hormone Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease A study in the Journal Nature finds that blocking the FSH hormone...
News Articles February 2022
Ohio State Opens New Cancer Trials Dozens of new cancer trials are now open at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). If you would like more information or are interested in...
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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.
