Active clinical trials for "Cushing Syndrome"

The purpose of this prospective open-label phase II study, is to evaluate the efficacy of pasireotide twice daily subcutaneous injections for normalizing 24 hour urine free cortisol in patients with ectopic ACTH-producing tumors as measured by the proportion of patients achieving normal UFC at the end of the study period.

Identifying hypercortisolism patients at risk for cardio-vascular events despite biological cure, and determine which patients should be particularly followed. Hypercortisolic patients represent an ideal in vivo model to determine the interactions between glucocorticoids and ectopic fat development.

Working hypothesis: the interactions between the endogenous endocannabinoïds (ECS) - and cortisol, the end product of the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis may play a role in the pathophysiology of Cushing's syndrome. The investigators speculate that: acute or chronic variations in plasma cortisol may induce changes in the activity of the ECS that there is a circadian rhythm of the ECS driven by the rythm of plasma cortisol

The purpose of this trial is to investigate the impact of cortisol on adipose tissue functions, distribution and morphology. Patient with endogenous blood cortisol excess exhibit changes in adipose tissue, with fat gain in the upper trunk, face and neck leading to visceral obesity and features of the metabolic syndrome. The aims of this study will be to compare the pattern of gene expression between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in Cushing patients requiring an adrenalectomy as cortisol adenoma treatment; to compare these patterns of gene expression with those of two control populations:1/ healthy metabolic subjects having a partial nephrectomy, 2/obese patients with similar degree of insulin resistance.

This retrospective, multi-center, chart review study will collect patient data from medical charts of pediatric patients who have been treated with Korlym for Cushing's syndrome.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC) is an extremely rare disease. Approximately 50% of ACC in adults are functioning leading to hormonal and metabolic syndromes. Cortisol hypersecretion (Cushing's syndrome) is the most common endocrine derangement at presentation. Moreover, hypercortisolism is one of the factors that negatively influence the outcome of patients with metastatic ACC. Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a prodrug of abiraterone, an irreversible inhibitor of 17α hydroxylase/C17, 20-lyase (cytochrome P450c17 [CYP17]).The inhibition of CYP17A1 blocks androgen and cortisol synthesis. AA has a pharmacodynamic potential to reduce cortisol excess and it has never been tested before in Cushing's syndrome. Thus, we decided to evaluate the activity of Abiraterone Acetate in the management of Cushing's syndrome in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma. The study is a phase II, non-randomized, open-label study with two different experimental sub-cohorts: Cohort 1: Patients locally advanced/metastatic ACC patients with uncontrolled Cushing's syndrome despite Mitotane +/- chemotherapy will be treated with single agent AA. In this cohort, Mitotane and chemotherapy will be interrupted and AA will be continued till progression and/or as long as the Cushing's syndrome is adequately controlled (ie until progression of Cushing's syndrome). Cohort 2: Mitotane-naïve patients with newly diagnosis of ACC associated with Cushing's syndrome not amenable to surgical resection with radical intent will be treated with single agent AA for 4 weeks followed by AA + Mitotane +/- first-line chemotherapy. In this cohort, AA in association with Mitotane will be administered for 3 months. If the primary endpoint is obtained before 1 month (i.e. 2 or 3 weeks from Abiraterone start), then Mitotane +/- chemotherapy can be started upon the clinician's decision.

Subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) is a status of asymptomatic hypercortisolism, frequently found in patients with adrenal adenomas (estimated prevalence: 0.8-2% after 60 years of age). Although SH may lead to diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis, the diagnostic SH criteria and those suggesting the need of adrenalectomy are debated. Indeed, beside the cortisol secretion, the individual cortisol sensitivity may play a role in determining the SH consequences. Subjects with possible SH due to adrenal adenoma will be randomized to surgery/conservative follow up. The effects of surgery on the cardiovascular, bone, metabolic complications of SH and on neuropsychological aspects and quality of life (QoL) and the possibility to predict them by using cortisol sensitivity and secretion markers will be studied. The study may clarify how to individuate patients who can benefit from surgery. These results will help reducing the costs of both useless surgical operations and SH consequences.

Endocrine diseases including Cushing's syndrome and phaeochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) but not Conn's syndrome are associated with muscle wasting and weakness. The study's aim is to identify epigenetic determinants of muscle homeostasis in these conditions following medical treatment and adrenalectomy. This is an observational pilot study that will recruit 66 patients from 3 diagnostic groups: Cushing's syndrome (16), PPGL (20) and Conn's syndrome (30). Indices of muscle bulk and strength will be assessed at diagnosis and at outpatient follow-up 6-9 weeks after adrenalectomy. At these times blood and urine will be collected and a muscle biopsy taken from the operation site at the time of surgery. Pathway analysis in these samples will identify potentially novel signalling pathways contributing to muscle wasting via prolonged exposure to high levels of corticosteroid and catecholamines. This will highlight commonalities and differences in pathogenesis of muscle wasting from a variety of different causes. Finally, it will inform identification of novel therapies for muscle atrophy.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect og chronic elevated levels of cortisol on metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Cushing Syndrome is an endocrine disorder causing an over production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal gland as a response to the production of corticotropin (ACTH) in the pituitary gland. Between 10% and 20% of patients with hypercortisolism (Cushing Syndrome) have ectopic production of the hormone ACTH. Meaning, the hormone is not being released from the normal site, the pituitary gland. In many cases the ectopic ACTH is being produced by a tumor of the lung, thymus, or pancreas. However, in approximately 50% of these patients the source of the ACTH cannot be found even with the use of extensive imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear scans (111-indium pentetreotide). The ability of these tests to locate the source of the hormone production is dependent on the changes of anatomy and / or the dose and adequate uptake of the radioactive agent. The inability to detect the source of ectopic ACTH production often results in unnecessary pituitary surgery or irradiation. Unlike the previously described tests, positron emission tomography (PET scan) has the ability to detect pathologic tissue based on physiologic and biochemical processes within the abnormal tissue. This study will test whether fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), fluorine-18-dihydroxyphenylalanine (F-DOPA) or use of a higher dose of 111-indium pentetreotide can be used to successfully localize the source of ectopic ACTH production.