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Pituitary surgery in Cushing’s disease: first line treatment and role of reoperation

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Abstract

Cushing’s disease is the most common cause of endogenous hypercortisolemia, and transsphenoidal surgery remains the first line therapy for removal of the ACTH-secreting adenoma. While post-operative remission rates are high in experienced hands, there remains a 2% risk of recurrence per year. Patients with the highest chance for cure are those with small, non-invasive tumors that are visible on pre-operative MRI and identified during surgery and are performed by high-volume pituitary neurosurgeons. Surgery for persistent or recurrent disease is frequently indicated and is most successful in the hands of experienced surgeons and in cases where tumor is visible on MRI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Pamela S. Jones & Brooke Swearingen

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  1. Pamela S. Jones
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  2. Brooke Swearingen
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Authors PSJ and BS were both involved in the drafting, writing, and editing of this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pamela S. Jones.

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Jones, P.S., Swearingen, B. Pituitary surgery in Cushing’s disease: first line treatment and role of reoperation. Pituitary 25, 713–717 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-022-01254-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-022-01254-8

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