Tumores do córtex adrenal na infância

Adrenocortical carcinoma in a 10-month-old infant: A literature review and a rare case report

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in children is a rare condition. The annual incidence of ACC is extremely low, with only 0.2-0.3 cases per million children. The clinical presentations of ACC are numerous, such as terminal hair appearance, pubertal progress, hypercortisolism, enlarged clitoris, acne, systemic arterial hypertension, weight gain, and voice change.

Case presentation

A 10-month-old female infant presented by her parents to the Department of Endocrinology with a mass on the right adrenal gland and Cushing's syndrome symptoms. Surgery was performed. The death occurred after two times resuscitation due to sudden cardiac arrest.

Clinical discussion

The adrenal gland consists of two distinct parts. Different types of tumors arise from each part of the adrenal gland. The most common tumor in adrenomedullary tumors was neuroblastoma which accounted for 60.4% of adrenal tumors. ACC in children is a rare condition. The etiology of ACTs is unclear.

Conclusion

This case emphasizes that early diagnosis has a considerable role in preventing major complications. Also to advise considering ACC as a differential diagnosis when similar symptoms are found in an infant.

Retrospective Analysis of Prognostic Factors in Pediatric Patients with Adrenocortical Tumor from Unique Tertiary Center with Long-Term Follow-Up

Pediatric adrenocortical tumors (PACTs) represent rare causes of malignancies. However, the south/southeast regions of Brazil are known to have a high incidence of PACTs because of the founder effect associated with a germline pathogenic variant of tumor suppressor gene TP53. We aimed to retrospectively analyze the types of variables among hormone production, radiological imaging, tumor staging, histological and genetic features that were associated with the occurrence of malignancy in 95 patients (71% females) with PACTs from a unique center. The worst prognosis was associated with those aged > 3 years (p < 0.05), high serum levels of 11-desoxicortisol (p < 0.001), tumor weight ≥ 200 g (p < 0.001), tumor size ≥ 5 cm (p < 0.05), Weiss score ≥ 5 (p < 0.05), Wieneke index ≥ 3 (p < 0.001) and Ki67 ≥ 15% (p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with MacFarlane stage IV had an overall survival rate almost two times shorter than patients with other stages (p < 0.001). Additionally, the subtractions of BUB1B-PINK1 (<6.95) expression (p < 0.05) and IGF-IR overexpression (p = 0.0001) were associated with malignant behavior. These results helped identify patients who are likely to have an aggressive course; further multicenter prospective studies are required to confirm our results. In conclusion, PACTs with these patterns of prognostic factors could be treated using an adjuvant approach that may improve the overall survival in such patients.

Focus on adrenal and related causes of hypertension in childhood and adolescence: Rare or rarely recognized?

High blood pressure (BP) is not restricted to adults; children and adolescents may also be affected, albeit less frequently. Aside from unfavorable environmental factors, such as obesity and sedentary life leading to early-onset essential hypertension (HT), several secondary causes must be investigated in the occasional hypertensive child/adolescent. Endocrine causes are relevant and multiple, related to the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, gonads, insulin, and others, but generally are associated with adrenal disease. This common scenario has several vital components, such as aldosterone, deoxycorticosterone (DOC), cortisol, or catecholamines, but there are also monogenic disorders involving the kidney tubule that cause inappropriate salt retention and HT that simulate adrenal disease. Finally, a blood vessel disease was recently described that may also participate in this vast spectrum of pediatric hypertensive disease. This review will shed some light on the diagnosis and management of conditions, focusing on the most prevalent adrenal (or adrenal-like) disturbances causing HT.

Psychological Impact of TP53-Variant-Carrier Newborns and Counselling on Mothers: A Pediatric Surveillance Cohort

Counselling and genetic testing (CGT) after neonatal screening may increase depression and anxiety (DA) levels during cancer surveillance. This study assessed the DA scores in mothers of newborns from Paraná state, Southern Brazil, carrying the TP53 p.R337H variant. To understand and adjust DA conditions during term of pregnancy, we initially detected sociodemographic covariates [marital status (MS), number of children (NC), and/or education level (EL): MS-NC-EL] on an independent group of pregnant women (not subjected to genetic testing). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess risk factors in pregnant (cross-sectional analysis) and unrelated mothers (at 2-month intervals, longitudinal study) of TP53 p.R337H-tested newborns (three sessions of HADS analysis) using Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney) and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests. Lower anxiety levels were observed in mothers of noncarriers (without MS-NC-EL = 6.91 ± 1.19; with MS-NC-EL = 6.82 ± 0.93) than in mothers of p.R337H carriers in the first session (without MS-NC-EL = 6.82 = 8.49 ± 0.6025, with MS-NC-EL = 6.82 = 9.21 ± 0.66). The anxiety levels significantly decreased 4 months after CGT (third session) in mothers of p.R337H carriers. We did not find a significant change in depression scores. Mothers with mental health instability requiring medications need periodical psychological support during and after CGT.

Pharmacological profile and effects of mitotane in adrenocortical carcinoma

Mitotane is the only adrenolytic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). This drug has cytotoxic effects on tumour tissues; it induces cell death and antisecretory effects on adrenal cells by inhibiting the synthesis of adrenocortical steroids, which are involved in the pathogenesis of ACC. However, high doses of mitotane are usually necessary to reach the therapeutic plasma concentration, which may result in several adverse effects. This suggests that important pharmacological processes, such as first pass metabolism, tissue accumulation and extensive time for drug elimination, are associated with mitotane administration. Few studies have reported the pharmacological aspects and therapeutic effects of mitotane. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize the chemistry, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and therapeutic and toxic effects of mitotane. This review also discusses new perspectives of mitotane formulation that are currently under investigation. Understanding the pharmacological profile of mitotane can improve the monitoring and efficacy of this drug in ACC treatment and can provide useful information for the development of new drugs with specific action against ACC with fewer adverse effects.

Venous Tumor Thrombosis and Pulmonary Metastases in a Case of Adrenal Neuroblastoma—Occurrence of Two Rare Manifestations in a Single Patient: Case Report and Review of Literature

Unlike other pediatric extra cranial solid neoplasms, neuroblastomas have very low incidence of pulmonary metastases. Neuroblastomas also tend to encase rather than infiltrate the major vessels with very low incidence of tumor thrombus. Even in cases with inferior vena cava tumor thrombosis, pulmonary metastases are a rare occurrence. These patients usually show widespread disseminated disease at presentation. We present a rare case of adrenal neuroblastoma with tumor thrombus and bilateral pulmonary metastases at presentation. This presentation can be confused with adrenocortical carcinoma and differentiating between the two is essential for further management.

Penetrance of the TP53 R337H Mutation and Pediatric Adrenocortical Carcinoma Incidence Associated with Environmental Influences in a 12-Year Observational Cohort in Southern Brazil

The TP53 R337H mutation is associated with increased incidence of pediatric adrenocortical tumor (ACT). The different environmental conditions where R337H carriers live have not been systematically analyzed. Here, the R337H frequencies, ACT incidences, and R337H penetrance for ACT were calculated using the 2006 cohort with 4165 R337H carriers living in Paraná state (PR) subregions. The effectiveness of a second surveillance for R337H probands selected from 42,438 tested newborns in PR (2016 cohort) was tested to detect early stage I tumor among educated families without periodical exams. Estimation of R337H frequencies and ACT incidence in Santa Catarina state (SC) used data from 50,115 tested newborns without surveillance, ACT cases from a SC hospital, and a public cancer registry. R337H carrier frequencies in the population were 0.245% (SC) and 0.306% (PR), and 87% and 95% in ACTs, respectively. The ACT incidence was calculated as ~6.4/million children younger than 10 years per year in PR (95% CI: 5.28; 7.65) and 4.15/million in SC (CI 95%: 2.95; 5.67). The ACT penetrance in PR for probands followed from birth to 12 years was 3.9%. R337H carriers living in an agricultural subregion (C1) had a lower risk of developing pediatric ACT than those living in industrial and large urban subregion (relative risk = 2.4). One small ACT (21g) without recurrence (1/112) was detected by the parents in the 2016 cohort. ACT incidence follows R337H frequency in each population, but remarkably environmental factors modify these rates.

Adrenocortical carcinoma with extension to the inferior vena cava and right atrium: 20-month-old girl with TP53 mutation

A 20-month-old female presented with respiratory distress and a right adrenal mass extending into the inferior vena cava and right atrium. The mass was initially thought to be neuroblastoma. Pathology later revealed adrenocortical carcinoma. Inferior vena cava extension is far more common in adrenocortical carcinoma than neuroblastoma, and its presence should prompt clinical and laboratory evaluation for an adrenocortical tumor. The genetic findings in TP53 associated with this disease are discussed.

Hypoxia-induced endothelial progenitor cell function is blunted in angiotensinogen knockout mice

Angiotensinogen (AGT), the precursor of angiotensin I, is known to be involved in tumor angiogenesis and associated with the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis. This study was undertaken to determine the role played by AGT in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in tumor progression and metastasis. It was found that the number of EPC colonies formed by AGT heterozygous knockout (AGT(+/-)) cells was less than that formed by wild-type (WT) cells, and that the migration and tube formation abilities of AGT(+/-) EPCs were significantly lower than those of WT EPCs. In addition, the gene expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Flk1, angiopoietin (Ang)-1, Ang-2, Tie-2, stromal derived factor (SDF)-1, C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), and of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were suppressed in AGT(+/-) EPCs. Furthermore, the expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and -2α were downregulated in AGT(+/-) early EPCs under hypoxic conditions, suggesting a blunting of response to hypoxia. Moreover, the activation of Akt/eNOS signaling pathways induced by VEGF, epithelial growth factor (EGF), or SDF-1α were suppressed in AGT(+/-) EPCs. In AGT(+/-) mice, the incorporation of EPCs into the tumor vasculature was significantly reduced, and lung tumor growth and melanoma metastasis were attenuated. In conclusion, AGT is required for hypoxia-induced vasculogenesis.

Development and internal validation of an adrenal cortical carcinoma prognostic score for predicting the risk of metastasis and local recurrence

OBJECTIVE

To develop and internally validate a prognostic score to predict the risk of metastases or recurrence in patients with adrenal cortical carcinomas (ACC).

DESIGN

Clinical, laboratory and pathological data from 129 ACC patients, treated in a tertiary centre, were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Using a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, we developed a prognostic score with five covariates: a functional pattern other than isolated hyperandrogenism, a tumour size >7·5 cm, a primary tumour classified as T3/T4, the presence of microscopic venous invasion and a mitotic index >5/50 high-power fields. The prognostic score was calibrated according to the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test (P = 0·9329) and exhibited excellent overall performance (Brier score = 0·0738). Finally, the discriminatory ability of the model, determined by the area under the ROC curve (AROC ), was near perfect (AROC , 0·9611; 95% CI, 0·92676-0·99552). The prediction model was internally validated with 200 bootstrap resamples and achieved excellent performance for estimating the risk of metastasis and recurrence in eight additional patients with apparently localized disease at diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

We developed and internally validated a prognostic score based on the clinicopathological data that are readily available to any attending physician. Our model can be used to accurately estimate the risk of unfavourable outcomes in ACC patients. This score could be beneficial for both patient counselling and the identification of patients in whom adjuvant mitotane is justified.

Molecular epidemiology of adrenocortical tumors in southern Brazil

The high frequency of TP53 R337H carriers in southern Brazil is responsible for the highest known incidence of childhood adrenocortical tumor (ACT). Our aims were to examine other contributing mutations, age-related risk factors, epidemiological differences in ACT and to shed light on a method for increasing the survival rate of children. The fetal zone of the adrenal cortex is believed to be one of the tissues most susceptible to adenoma or carcinoma formation due to loss of p53 function. The founder germline R337H mutation is found in 95% of ACTs of young children, a much greater proportion than in adults. Despite intense educational campaigns about the high incidence of ACT in Paraná State, advanced cases remain common. Four advanced ACT cases (4/5) were admitted to a single institution in the first 6months of 2011 in Paraná State, none of the families knew about ACT, and 2 reported no familial cancer syndrome. Curative resection is possible when a small ACT is detected early.

Clinical characteristics of adrenocortical tumors in children

BACKGROUND

Adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) are rare in children. Because of the rarity and various manifestations of ACTs, patients of ACTs are not easily diagnosed. Some patients were misdiagnosed before surgery.

OBJECTIVE

Identify the clinical, laboratorial, imaging and histopathological characteristics of adrenocortical tumors in children. Compare adrenalcortical adenoma with carcinoma.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 34 identified patients who were younger than 15 years old with histologic confirmation of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) or adenomas from 1991 to 2010.

RESULTS

In these 34 patients, 19 were adrenocortical adenoma (ACA) and 15 were ACC. The median age at diagnosis was 3.33 years (range, 0-16 years), and 70.6% of the patients were younger than five years. Girls slightly predominated over boys (1.4:1). For endocrine abnormality, 14 patients had isolated precocious puberty, five patients had isolated Cushing syndrome, 10 patients had precocious puberty plus Cushing syndrome, and five patients did not have any symptoms. The most frequent findings in laboratory tests were disturbance of the normal circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion (93.8%), followed by elevated serum level of testosterone (89.7%). Only 3.8% of ultrasound diagnosis and 12.1% of computed tomography (CT) diagnosis were consistent with pathologic diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Different from those in adult, the most frequent presentation in children with ACTs is peripheral precocious puberty with or without Cushing syndrome, and isolated Cushing syndrome. Few present with non-functional local mass. Laboratory tests usually reveal the discordantly elevated serum levels of sexual corticosteroid hormones, change of diurnal rhythm of cortisol or increase of morning cortisol. The differentiation of malignant from benign tumor cannot merely depend on imaging. Final diagnosis relies on comprehensive evaluation of clinical manifestations, laboratory data, imaging and pathology.

Mitotane associated with cisplatin, etoposide, and doxorubicin in advanced childhood adrenocortical carcinoma: mitotane monitoring and tumor regression

PURPOSE

To define a mitotane dose for pediatric patients with adrenocortical cancer (ACC) that maintains therapeutic plasma levels (TL) between 14 and 20 microg/mL and to verify its antitumor efficacy in association with 8 cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, and doxorubicin (CED).

METHODS

Powdered mitotane was dissolved in a medium chain triglyceride oil and administered to 11 children with ACC (2.4 to 15.4 y of age); an initial low dose was increased to 4 g/m2/d. Ten of the 11 children had a germline TP53 R337H mutation. Mitotane plasma levels were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

The mitotane dose to maintain TL in 7 patients ranged from 1.0 to 5.3 g/m2/d. Six children reached mitotane levels of 10 microg/mL in 3.6 months (1.5 to 5.0 mo), whereas 5 children took 8 months (6.5 to 12.5 mo). Minor to partial tumor remission was found in 5 patients (<1 y) and complete remission was found in 2 patients. Of the 3 patients who are alive at the time of report, 1 patient has been without disease for 16 months, and 2 patients have progressive disease. All patients had recurrent metastatic disease (2 to 9 times). Mitotane toxic effects were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, neurologic alterations, gynecomastia, a rare case of hypertensive encephalopathy, and CED-related hematologic toxic effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Mitotane daily dose to maintain TL is variable and monitoring should start 1.5 months after the beginning of treatment. CED combined with mitotane is the best available pharmacologic treatment for ACC, but further studies are required to characterize different profiles of therapeutic response.

Mortality rate of adrenocortical tumors in children under 15 years of age in Curitiba, Brazil

BACKGROUND

Several reports refer to an increased frequency of adrenal cortex tumors (ACT) among children in Southern Brazil, yet all data have been derived from hospital-based registries. An inherited germline mutation in the p53 gene (TP53 R337H) is detected in virtually all children with ACT in this region and accounts for the excess cases observed.

PROCEDURE

We reviewed all death certificates that mentioned ACT or adrenal neuroblastoma (NB) and which were reported to the Paraná State Department of Health between 1998 and 2003, for individuals younger than 15 years who resided in the Curitiba metropolitan region.

RESULTS

Eight deaths from ACT and ten from NB were identified. The age-standardized mortality rate per million children <15 years of age in the Curitiba metropolitan region during the years 1998-2003 was 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 1.8) for ACT and 2.3 (95% CI 2.0, 2.5) for NB. The ratio of the adrenal NB and ACT age-adjusted mortality rates was 1.43. The incidence of ACT estimated from the mortality data, assuming an ACT survival rate of 0.542, was 3.5 (95% CI 2.9, 4.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Our investigation of population-based mortality confirms the evidence from hospital-based registries of a clustering of ACT in Southern Brazil. In addition, our data suggest that the incidence of ACT in this region is about 12-18 times the incidence reported in the United States and Europe.

Childhood adrenocortical tumours: a review

Childhood adrenocortical tumour (ACT) is not a common disease, but in southern Brazil the prevalence is 15 times higher than in other parts of the world. One hundred and thirty-seven patients have been identified and followed by our group over the past four decades. Affected children are predominantly girls, with a female-to-male ratio of 3.5:1 in patients below 4 years of age. Virilization alone (51.6%) or mixed with Cushing's syndrome (42.0%) was the predominant clinical picture observed in these patients. Tumours are unilateral, affecting both glands equally. TP53 R337H germline mutations underlie most childhood ACTs in southern Brazil. Epidemiological data from our casuistic studies revealed that this mutation has ~10% penetrance for ACT. Surgery is the definitive treatment, and a complete resection should always be attempted. Although adjuvant chemotherapy has shown some encouraging results, its influence on overall outcome is small. The survival rate is directly correlated to tumour size; patients with small, completely excised tumours have survival rates close to 90%, whereas in those patients with inoperable tumours and/or metastatic disease it is less than 10%. In the group of patients with large, excisable tumours, half of them have an intermediate outcome. Recent molecular biology techniques and genomic approaches may help us to better understand the pathogenesis of ACT, the risk of developing a tumour when TP53 R337H is present, and to predict its outcome. An ongoing pilot study consisting of close monitoring of healthy carriers of the TP53 R337H mutation - siblings and first-degree relatives of known affected cases - aims at the early detection of ACTs and an improvement of the cure rate.

Tratamento do tumor do córtex adrenal na infância

O tumor do córtex adrenal (TCA) na infância é raro. Entretanto, no Paraná sua incidência é 15 vezes maior do que a observada em outros países. A mutação germinativa R337H TP53, presente em mais de 95% dos nossos pacientes, provavelmente está relacionada à maior incidência. Cento e vinte e cinco pacientes foram tratados no período de 1966 a 2003. A cirurgia é o único tratamento curativo. Em nossa experiência, tumores no estádio I, ausência de spillage durante a cirurgia e ausência de trombo são parâmetros relacionados à maior sobrevida. Dados preliminares mostram que a associação de etoposídeo, doxorrubicina, cisplatina e mitotano produziu remissão completa do tumor e/ou das metástases em alguns pacientes. Os efeitos colaterais destas drogas são comuns e pode ocorrer insuficiência adrenocortical. As doses de reposição de glicocorticóides e mineralocorticóides devem ser 2 a 3 vezes maiores que as doses fisiológicas.