Volume 7 Issue 2, February 2011

Landmark studies published in 2010 have shed new light on the biology of thyroid cancer. From cooperation between various genetic lesions during thyroid carcinogenesis to identification of the cell type primarily affected, the results of these studies offer a solid framework for future development of targeted thyroid cancer therapies.

The majority of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have uncontrolled glycemia, blood pressure and lipid levels and struggle to achieve targets set by current guidelines. In 2010, subgroup analyses of the ACCORD trial further underscored the need to tailor treatment to each individual.

Safe, effective treatments that are more widely available than surgery are needed to combat obesity. Nonetheless, the FDA has voted against two new drugs and withdrawn another in 2010. Despite the uphill battle faced by those developing medical therapies, a number of studies demonstrate the variety of biological targets for obesity treatment.

The medical management of pituitary tumors is entering a new era. Novel compounds that directly target the pituitary tumor have shown promise in patients with treatment-refractory or recurrent Cushing disease and acromegaly. Furthermore, the alkylating agent temozolomide provides clinical benefit for patients with aggressive pituitary adenomas or carcinomas.

Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of autoimmune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as the risk of falls and fractures. Several prospective, randomized, controlled trials published in 2010 highlight the importance of improving vitamin D status in children and adults to reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and cardiovascular disease, amongst other disorders.

Research into ciliopathies could cast new light on endocrine signaling pathways, which might lead to the development of novel treatments for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This Review discusses how research into the extremely rare Alström syndrome could provide insights into the cellular pathways that are important in insulin secretion and other endocrine functions.

The relationships between fetal cell microchimerism and human physiology and pathology represent an interesting and novel research field. This Review provides an overview of the role of fetal microchimeric cells in autoimmune and nonautoimmune diseases. Moreover, the mechanisms by which fetal cell microchimerism is believed to modulate the protection against cancer or tumor progression will be discussed, together with future research directions.

Circadian rhythms make a critical contribution to endocrine functions that involve adipose tissue at the systemic, organ and stem cell levels. This Review examines the data that link circadian biology to adipose tissue and its related metabolic organs, such as the liver and pancreas. These findings might affect clinical practice in the coming years.

People are now living longer with type 2 diabetes mellitus; novel complications, such as dementia, could start to emerge. This Review discusses the mechanisms thought to underlie the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and dementia.

Despite remarkable progress in the diagnosis and treatment of primary adrenal insufficiency, patients still suffer from delayed diagnosis, impaired well-being and the risk of life-threatening adrenal crisis. This Case Study highlights the need to evaluate individuals with chronic hyponatremia or unexplained weight loss and lack of energy for adrenal insufficiency.