Irradiation may be used for pituitary tumors, often as an adjunctive therapy if pituitary surgery is unsuccessful. With radiation, the effects may not be immediately evident and normal tissue may be damaged, which can cause other adverse reactions such as headaches, hypertension, dry skin, and alopecia. Also, patients must continue medication therapy for several months while awaiting the final results of the radiation therapy. Regular monitoring is necessary to determine the effectiveness of radiation therapy and development of new pituitary hormone deficiency.2,6
If the cause of Cushing syndrome is long-term use of corticosteroids, treatment involves a slow weaning of the medication to let the body resume normal cortisol production. Abruptly discontinuing these medications could lead to deficient cortisol levels (mimicking adrenal insufficiency).2