What Is Cushing's Disease?
3. Cushing’s Disease Risk Factors
Women are more prone to get the disease than men. Only about 10-15 people out of one million get the condition each year. Of those, however, more than 70% are women. Genetic factors are largely unknown; however, in a few cases, mutations on specific genes seem to cause Cushing’s disease. These mutations are not present at birth but develop over the course of a person’s life.
Inheritance does not seem to play a role, as the disease typically develops in individuals with no family history. There are a few conditions, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, that have Cushing’s disease as a secondary condition. The primary syndrome can have an inheritance component, but not Cushing’s disease itself.
