Medical Therapy for Cushing's Syndrome in the Twenty-first Century

Abstract

Medical therapy has a useful adjunctive role in many patients with Cushing's syndrome. Patients with pituitary corticotroph adenomas who have received radiation therapy to the sella require medical therapy until the effects of radiation therapy occur. In addition, patients with Cushing's syndrome who cannot undergo surgery promptly, including those who are acutely ill and cannot safely undergo tumor resection, may benefit from medical therapy as a bridge to surgery. Other possible candidates for medical therapy are those with unresectable tumors or those whose tumor location remains unknown despite adequate diagnostic evaluation.

Keywords: Cabergoline; Cushing’s disease; Cushing’s syndrome; Etomidate; Ketoconazole; Metyrapone; Mitotane; Pasireotide.