Giant nonfunctioning adrenocortical carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 1 With Associated Adrenocortical Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 (MEN1) syndrome is an autosomal dominant syndrome comprising a triad of pancreatic, pituitary, and parathyroid tumors. Adrenal cortical carcinoma occurs rarely in MEN1 syndrome. Here, we have presented a case of a 62-year-old woman with adrenal mass and elevated serum parathormone levels, who underwent 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT. 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT showed intense tracer concentration in the left adrenal mass and lesions in the liver, pancreas, and peritoneum. Biopsy of the peritoneal deposit revealed metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma, and further genetic testing showed MEN1 mutation.

Case report: A giant hemorrhagic adrenocortical carcinoma causing cardiorespiratory embarrassment

Background

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare aggressive tumor that can be hormone or non-hormone secreting. It is usually associated with fatal outcomes due to its physiological hormonal interaction. We report a successful anaesthetic and surgical management for a patient who presented to us with a huge hemorrhagic ACC which was complicated with acute respiratory failure.

Case presentation

A 56-year-old lady presented to us with progressive abdominal distension and right hypochondriac pain for two months. She was anemic with elevated liver enzymes. Urgent computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis showed a huge right supra renal mass. She subsequently developed respiratory failure due to splinting of diaphragm, of which successfully underwent an emergency exploratory laparotomy. Subsequent endocrine and histopathological work up showed an adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).

Discussion

Suprarenal masses usually originate from the adrenal glands. They should be investigated to rule out phaeochromocytoma, which originate from the inner adrenal medulla or outer cortex to form ACC. The latter usually occur in women and of poor prognosis. Huge ACC may cause acute respiratory failure by way of splinting of diaphragm. Both anaesthetic and surgical teams should be well trained in handling patients who undergo adrenal surgeries.

Conclusion

A giant hemorrhagic functional ACC is extremely uncommon with very poor prognosis. Such conditions should be investigated to rule out phaeochromocytoma. Its potential neuro-hormonal interactions and anatomical correlations can cause fatal perioperative cardio-respiratory embarrassment. The anaesthetic and surgical teams should be capable in managing the hemodynamic instabilities that may present during surgical manipulation and resection of a large ACC.

•

A gigantic hemorrhagic functional ACC is extremely uncommon with very poor outcome.

•

Patients with a huge suprarenal mass should be thoroughly investigated to rule out phaeochromocytoma.

•

The anaesthetic team should be capable in managing the hemodynamic instabilities that may present during resection of a large ACC.

Giant virilising adrenal cortical carcinoma

Androgen secreting adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a very rare disease with a poor prognosis. Approximately 80% of tumors are functional, most commonly secreting glucocorticoids. We herewith report a case of a huge functional ACC of the right adrenal gland in a 33-year-old female who presented with complaints of hirsutism, amenorrhea and an abdominal lump. On abdominal examination a large lump was palpable in the right hypochondrium reaching up to the umbilicus. Contrast-enhance computed tomography (CECT) revealed a mass in the right suprarenal region. The tumor measured 29 cm × 20 cm × 12 cm and weighed 7.8 kg, the largest reported case of ACC in the world to the best of our knowledge.

Giant nonfunctioning adrenal tumors: two case reports and review of the literature

Background

There are an estimated 1–2 cases per million per year of adrenocortical carcinoma in the USA. It represents a rare and aggressive malignancy; it is the second most aggressive endocrine malignant disease after anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Non-secretory adrenal masses are diagnosed late due to a mass effect or metastatic disease or found incidentally (adrenal incidentalomas).

Case presentation

The first case report describes a 39-year-old Greek woman who presented to our department with complaints of repeated symptoms of flatulence and epigastric discomfort over a few months. The second case report is about a 67-year-old Greek woman who presented to our department after being evaluated for fatigue, mass effect, and epigastric discomfort. Both of them were diagnosed as having a nonfunctioning adrenocortical carcinoma and underwent open adrenalectomy.

Conclusions

Approximately 60% of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma present with symptoms and signs of hormonal secretion. Our cases’ adrenocortical carcinomas were not functional. Hormone secretion is not a discriminating feature between benign and malignant adrenocortical masses. The silent clinical nature of nonfunctioning adrenocortical carcinoma results in late diagnosis, while the majority of patients present with locally advanced and/or metastatic disease.

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare endocrine tumor with a poor prognosis that can be diagnostically challenging and demands high clinical suspicion. The work-up for adrenal masses must include determination of whether the mass is functioning or nonfunctioning and whether it is benign or malignant.

Androgen secreting giant adrenocortical carcinoma with no metastases: A case report and review of the literature

Functional adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a very rare disease with a poor prognosis. Over half (60%) of ACCs bigger than 6 cm synthesize hormones; hormone-secreting ACCs generally include virilization, feminization or Cushing syndrome. Besides, 82% of ACCs are metastatic at the time of diagnosis. While a 48-year-old female patient was examined for abdominal pain and flushing, we detected a non-metastasizing mass (23 × 18 × 16 cm) in the adrenal lodge. The mass was extracted en bloc during open exploration and its histopathology was reported as ACC. We review the literature and report the largest androgen-producing, clinically silent ACC mass cited in the literature so far.