Ectopic, retroperitoneal adrenocortical carcinoma in the setting of Lynch syndrome

Current prospects of hereditary adrenal tumors: towards better clinical management

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) are two rare types of adrenal gland malignancies. Regarding hereditary tumors, some patients with ACC are associated with with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), and those with PPGL with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Recent studies have expanded this spectrum to include other types of hereditary tumors, such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis. Individuals harboring germline TP53 pathogenic variants that cause LFS have heterogeneous phenotypes depending on the respective variant type. As an example, R337H variant found in Brazilian is known as low penetrant. While 50-80% of pediatric ACC patients harbored a LFS, such a strong causal relationship is not observed in adult patients, which suggests different pathophysiologies between the two populations. As for PPGL, because multiple driver genes, such as succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-related genes, RET, NF1, and VHL have been identified, universal multi-gene germline panel testing is warranted as a comprehensive and cost-effective approach. PPGL pathogenesis is divided into three molecular pathways (pseudohypoxia, Wnt signaling, and kinase signaling), and this classification is expected to result in personalized medicine based on genomic profiles. It remains unknown whether clinical characteristics differ between cases derived from genetic predisposition syndromes and sporadic cases, or whether the surveillance strategy should be changed depending on the genetic background or whether it should be uniform. Close cooperation among medical genomics experts, endocrinologists, oncologists, and early investigators is indispensable for improving the clinical management for multifaceted ACC and PPGL.

An Asymptomatic, Ectopic Mass as a Presentation of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Due to a Novel Germline TP53 p.Phe338Leu Tetramerisation Domain Variant

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer in childhood. ACC is frequently associated with germline TP53 variants, with founder effects especially due to the p.Arg337His mutation. ACC leads to the secretion of adrenocortical hormones, resulting in endocrine syndromes, which is the usual trigger for establishing the diagnosis. We present a surprising ACC pathology in a non-secreting, ectopic retroperitoneal tumour in a 4-year-old boy, successfully controlled with chemotherapy and mitotane after microscopically incomplete tumour resection with spillage. Genomic analysis (gene panel sequencing and copy-number microarray) demonstrated a novel p.Phe338Leu tetramerisation domain (TD) TP53 variant in the proband and his cancer-free mother and a monoallelic deletion encompassing the TP53 locus in cancer tissue, consistent with cancer-predisposition syndrome. While the recurrent p.Arg337His variant translates into high ACC risk, residue 338 and, in general, TD domain variants drive heterogeneous clinical scenarios, despite generally being considered less disruptive than TP53 DNA-binding domain mutations.

Pathogenic Insights into DNA Mismatch Repair (MMR) Genes-Proteins and Microsatellite Instability: Focus on Adrenocortical Carcinoma and Beyond

DNA damage repair pathways, including mismatch repair (MMR) genes, are prone to carcinoma development in certain patients. The assessment of the MMR system is widely recognized as part of strategies concerning solid tumors (defective MMR cancers), especially MMR proteins (through immunohistochemistry), and molecular assays for microsatellite instability (MSI). We aim to highlight the status of MMR genes-proteins (including MSI) in the relationship with ACC (adrenocortical carcinoma) according to current knowledge. This is a narrative review. We included PubMed-accessed, full-length English papers published between January 2012 and March 2023. We searched studies on ACC patients for whom MMR status was assessed, respectively subjects harboring MMR germline mutations, namely Lynch syndrome (LS), who were diagnosed with ACC. MMR system assessments in ACCs involve a low level of statistical evidence. Generally, there are two main types of endocrine insights: 1. the role of MMR status as a prognostic marker in different endocrine malignancies (including ACC)-which is the topic of the present work, and 2. establishing the indication of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) in selective, mostly highly aggressive, non-responsive to standard care forms upon MMR evaluation (which belongs to the larger chapter of immunotherapy in ACCs). Our one-decade, sample-case study (which, to our knowledge, it is the most comprehensive of its kind) identified 11 original articles (from 1 patient to 634 subjects per study diagnosed with either ACC or LS). We identified four studies published in 2013 and 2020 and two in 2021, three cohorts and two retrospective studies (the publication from 2013 includes a retrospective and a cohort distinct section). Among these four studies, patients already confirmed to have LS (N = 643, respective 135) were found to be associated with ACC (N = 3, respective 2), resulting in a prevalence of 0.0046%, with a respective of 1.4% being confirmed (despite not having a large amount of similar data outside these two studies). Studies on ACC patients (N = 364, respective 36 pediatric individuals, and 94 subjects with ACC) showed that 13.7% had different MMR gene anomalies, with a respective of 8.57% (non-germline mutations), while 3.2% had MMR germline mutations (N = 3/94 cases). Two case series included one family, with a respective four persons with LS, and each article introduced one case with LS-ACC. Another five case reports (between 2018 and 2021) revealed an additional five subjects (one case per paper) diagnosed with LS and ACC (female to male ratio of 4 to 1; aged between 44 and 68). Interesting genetic testing involved children with TP53-positive ACC and further MMR anomalies or an MSH2 gene-positive subject with LS with a concurrent germline RET mutation. The first report of LS-ACC referred for PD-1 blockade was published in 2018. Nevertheless, the use of ICPI in ACCs (as similarly seen in metastatic pheochromocytoma) is still limited. Pan-cancer and multi-omics analysis in adults with ACC, in order to classify the candidates for immunotherapy, had heterogeneous results, and integrating an MMR system in this larger and challenging picture is still an open issue. Whether individuals diagnosed with LS should undergo surveillance for ACC has not yet been proven. An assessment of tumor-related MMR/MSI status in ACC might be helpful. Further algorithms for diagnostics and therapy, also taking into consideration innovative biomarkers as MMR-MSI, are necessary.

Nonfunctional ectopic adrenocortical carcinoma in the lung: A case report and literature review

Background

Ectopic adrenocortical tissues and neoplasms are rare and usually found in the genitourinary system and abdominal cavity. The thorax is an extremely rare ectopic site. Here, we report the first case of nonfunctional ectopic adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in the lung.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old Chinese man presented with vague left-sided chest pain and irritable cough for 1 month. Thoracic computed tomography revealed a heterogeneously enhancing 5.3 × 5.8 × 6.0-cm solitary mass in the left lung. Radiological findings suggested a benign tumor. The tumor was surgically excised upon detection. Histopathological examination using hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the cytoplasm of the tumor cells was rich and eosinophilic. Immunohistochemical profiles (inhibin-a⁺, melan-A⁺, Syn⁺) indicated that the tumor had an adrenocortical origin. The patient showed no symptoms of hormonal hypersecretion. The final pathological diagnosis was non-functional ectopic ACC. The patient was disease-free for 22 months and is still under follow-up.

Conclusions

Nonfunctional ectopic ACC in the lung is an extremely rare neoplasm that can be easily misdiagnosed as primary lung cancer or lung metastasis, both preoperatively and on postoperative pathological examination. This report may provide clues to clinicians and pathologists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of nonfunctional ectopic ACC.

Tumor Microenvironment in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Barrier to Immunotherapy Success?

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare malignancy with aggressive behavior, with up to 40% of patients presenting with metastases at the time of diagnosis. Both conventional chemotherapeutic regimens and novel immunotherapeutic agents, many of which are currently being tested in ongoing clinical trials, have yielded modest results so far, bringing the need for a deeper understanding of adrenal cancer behavior to the forefront. In the recent years, the tumor microenvironment has emerged as a major determinant of cancer response to immunotherapy and an increasing number of studies on other solid tumors have focused on manipulating the microenvironment in the favor of the host and discovering new potential target molecules. In the present review we aim to explore the characteristics of adrenocortical cancer's microenvironment, highlighting the mechanisms of immune evasion responsible for the modest immunotherapeutic results, and identify novel potential strategies.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Updates of Clinical and Pathological Features after Renewed World Health Organisation Classification and Pathology Staging

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a heterogenous group of diseases with different clinical behaviour between adult and paediatric patients. In addition, three histological variants, oncocytic, myxoid and sarcomatoid are noted on the recent World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of ACC. A review of recent literature showed that the different types of ACC have distinctive demographic data, clinical presentation, pathology, biological behaviour, genomic and patients' prognosis. In addition, recent updates of pathology staging for ACC allow refinement of prognostic grouping for planning treatment of the patients with ACC. These advances in genomic, pathology and staging have driven the development of standardisation of pathology reporting. International standardisation of pathological reporting of adrenocortical carcinoma and adaption to local pathology communities provide universal platforms for clinicians and researchers involved in the management of patients with ACC. To conclude, all these advances in the field of pathology will improve development of management strategies including improvement of clinical care, development of prognostic markers and testing of novel therapeutic approaches for patients with adrenocortical carcinoma.

Characteristics of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Associated With Lynch Syndrome

CONTEXT

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most common inherited colorectal and endometrial cancer syndrome, caused by germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. It is also characterized by an increased risk of other tumors with lower prevalence, such as adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC), an endocrine tumor with an incidence of <2 cases/million individuals/year. Most ACC developed during childhood are associated with hereditary syndromes. In adults, this association is not as well established as in children. Previous studies showed a 3.2% prevalence of LS among patients with ACC.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of ACC in a Spanish LS cohort and their molecular and histological characteristics. This retrospective study includes 634 patients from 220 LS families registered between 1999 and 2018.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

During the follow-up period, 3 patients were diagnosed with ACC (0.47%); all were carriers of a MSH2 germline mutation. The 3 ACC patients presented loss of expression of MSH2 and MSH6 proteins. One tumor analysis showed loss of heterozygosity of the MSH2 wildtype allele. Our findings support previous data that considered ACC as a LS spectrum tumor.

CONCLUSION

MMR protein immunohistochemistry screening could be an efficient strategy to detect LS in patients with ACC.

[Ectopia of the adrenal]

Ectopia of nodular adrenocortical tissue is very frequently found in the periadrenal region. It corresponds to accessory adrenal tissue and is a normal variant. Ectopia in more distant regions are found in inner male or female genitalia. Strong long-lasting hyperstimultions induce hyperplasia and simulate true tumors ("adrenal rest tumors"). Real autonomic tumors from ectopic adrenal tissue with or without hyperfunction are rare. Ectopia of adrenomedullary tissue are nearly exclusively found in the surroundings of normal medulla. Ectopia in the adrenals corresponds almost exclusively with thyroid tissue. Ectopic secretion of hormones, mostly ACTH, can be found in pheochromocytomas and induces hyperfunction (Cushing's syndrome).

Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma Associated With Lynch Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Objective

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with poor prognosis. ACC was reported in 3.2% patients with Lynch syndrome (LS), however no particular case-detection strategies have been recommended.

Participants

We report a case of a 65-year-old woman who was incidentally discovered with a large adrenal mass during work-up of postmenopausal uterine bleeding. She was recently diagnosed with MSH6 germline mutation after her sister presented with uterine carcinoma in the setting of LS.

Results

Whereas the patient was asymptomatic for overt hormonal excess, biochemical work-up confirmed glucocorticoid autonomy and androgen and estrogen excess. Urine steroid profiling was suggestive of ACC. Adrenalectomy confirmed an oncocytic ACC with focal extracapsular extension into the periadrenal adipose tissue with a Ki-67 of 15% and a peak mitotic count of 40/50 high-power fields.

Conclusion

ACC can be the only manifestation of LS. A best case-detection approach for ACC in the asymptomatic patient with LS is unclear, however urine steroid profiling could be considered.