Ectopic Cushing syndrome caused by a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor: A case report

Refractory postoperative Staphylococcus hominis bacteremia in a patient with an ACTH-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm: a case report

Background

Staphylococcus hominis (S. hominis) is an opportunistic pathogen that is often highly resistant to antibiotics and is difficult to treat. In patients diagnosed with an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-producing tumor that compromises the immune system due to hypercortisolemia, cancer treatment and infection control should be considered simultaneously. This report presents a case of refractory postoperative S. hominis bacteremia requiring the prolonged administration of several antibiotics in a patient with an ACTH-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN).

Case presentation

A 35-year-old man visited a neighboring hospital for a thorough examination after experiencing weight gain and lower limb weakness for several months. Enhanced computed tomography revealed a pancreatic tail tumor and bilateral adrenal enlargement. Elevated plasma ACTH and serum cortisol were noted. Biopsy under endoscopic ultrasonography revealed the tumor as an ACTH-producing pNEN. The patient was transferred to our hospital for further treatment. Pneumocystis pneumonia was noted and treated with sulfamethoxazole and adjunctive glucocorticoids. Hypercortisolism was controlled with metyrapone and trilostane. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy and ethoxybenzyl magnetic resonance imaging detected other lesions in the pancreatic head. A total pancreatectomy was performed given that the lesions were found in both the pancreatic head and tail. Plasma ACTH and serum cortisol levels decreased immediately after the resection. Pathological examination revealed that the pancreatic tail tumor was NEN G2 and T3N1aM0 Stage IIB and the pancreatic head lesions were SSTR-positive hyperplasia of the islet of Langerhans cells. On postoperative day 11, catheter-associated bacteremia occurred. Initially, meropenem hydrate and vancomycin hydrochloride were administered empirically. S. hominis was identified and appeared sensitive to these antibiotics according to susceptibility testing. However, S. hominis was repeatedly positive in blood cultures for more than one month, despite treatment with several antibiotics. Eventually, with the combined use of three antibiotics (meropenem hydrate, vancomycin hydrochloride, and clindamycin phosphate) for more than 3 weeks, the S. hominis-associated bacteremia improved. He was discharged 79 days after surgery.

Conclusions

Our patient with an ACTH-producing pNEN was immunocompromised and needed meticulous attention for infectious complications even after successful tumor removal. Specifically, S. hominis bacteremia in such patients demands intensive treatments, such as with combinational antibiotics.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma with multiple organ infections and widespread thrombosis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting neuroendocrine tumors are rare diseases. Patients with ACTH-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas have a poor prognosis. Infections and coagulopathies have been reported as the cause of death. However, detailed clinical descriptions of the morbid complications of ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine carcinomas have not been reported.

CASE SUMMARY

A 78-year-old Japanese woman consulted a medical center due to systemic edema and epigastric discomfort. Laboratory analysis revealed hypercortisolemia with increased ACTH secretion without diurnal variation in serum cortisol level. An enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 3-cm tumor in the pancreatic head. The cytological material from endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration was compatible with ACTH-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. The Ki-67 index was 40%. She was transferred to Mie University Hospital for surgical treatment. The patient was diagnosed with urinary tract infection, cytomegalovirus hepatitis, esophageal candidiasis, pulmonary infiltrates suspicious for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, peripheral deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The multiple organ infections and thromboses responded well to antimicrobial and anticoagulant therapy. Radioisotope studies disclosed a pancreatic tumor and a metastatic lesion in the liver, whereas somatostatin receptor scintigraphy showed negative findings, suggesting the primary and metastatic tumors were poorly differentiated. A CT scan before admission showed no metastatic liver lesion, suggesting that the pancreatic tumor was rapidly progressing. Instead of surgery, antitumor chemotherapy was indicated. The patient was transferred to another hospital to initiate chemotherapy. However, she died four months later due to the rapidly progressive tumor.

CONCLUSION

ACTH-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm is a rare disease with a very poor prognosis. The clinical course and acute complications of the tumor remain unreported. Here we report the clinical course of a rapidly progressive case of ACTH-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor that developed infectious complications due to many types of pathogens in multiple organs, widespread thromboses, pulmonary embolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation.