Cushing's Disease Treatments
Minimally invasive surgery
For most cases of Cushing’s disease, the best treatment is to remove the pituitary tumor that is causing the excessive levels of cortisol.
The pituitary tumor can be approached directly using the Endoscopic Endonasal Approach (EEA).
This state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach allows surgeons to access the tumor through the natural corridor of the nose, without making an open incision. Surgeons then remove the pituitary tumor through the nose and nasal cavities.
EEA offers the benefits of no incisions to heal, no disfigurement, and a faster recovery time.
If you need complementary Cushing's disease treatments, such as radiation, those therapies can begin soon after EEA surgery.
Gamma Knife® radiosurgery for Cushing's disease
Gamma Knife radiosurgery uses hundreds of highly focused radiation beams to target the pituitary tumor that's causing Cushing's disease, with no surgical incision.
For Cushing's disease, Gamma Knife treatment is used for residual pituitary tumor after surgery or elevated cortisol hormone levels despite surgery and medical management.
UPMC is the nation's leading provider of Gamma Knife procedures. Our treatments have proven effective for more than 12,000 people with tumors, vascular malformations, pain, and other functional problems.