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

Pure androgen-secreting adrenal tumor (PASAT): A rare case report of bilateral PASATs and a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Adult pure androgen-secreting adrenal tumors (PASATs) are extremely rare, and their characteristics are largely unknown.

METHODS

A rare case of adult bilateral PASATs was reported, and a systematic literature review of adult PASATs was conducted to summarize the characteristics of PASATs.

RESULTS

In total, 48 studies, including 40 case reports and 8 articles, were identified in this review. Analysis based on data of 42 patients (including current case and 41 patients from 40 case reports) showed that average age was 40.48 ± 15.80 years (range of 18-76). The incidence of adult PASAT peaked at 21-30 years old, while that of malignant PASAT peaked at 41-50 years old. Most PASAT patients were female (40/42, 95.23%), and hirsutism was the most common symptom (37/39, 94.87%). Testosterone (T) was the most commonly elevated androgen (36/42, 85.71%), and 26 of 32 tested patients presented increased dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) levels. In malignancy cases, disease duration was significantly decreased (1.96 vs. 4.51 years, P=0.025), and tumor diameter was significantly increased (8.9 vs. 4.9 cm, p=0.011). Moreover, the androgen levels, namely, T/upper normal range limit (UNRL) (11.94 vs. 4.943, P=0.770) and DS/UNRL (16.5 vs. 5.28, P=0.625), were higher in patients with malignancy. In total, 5 out of 7 patients showed an increase in DS or T in the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) stimulation test. Overall, 41 out of 42 patients (including current case) underwent adrenal surgery, and recurrence, metastasis, or death was reported in 5 out of 11 malignant patients even with adjuvant or rescue mitotane chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Adult PASAT, which is predominant in women, is characterized by virilism and menstrual dysfunction, especially hirsutism. Elevated T and DS may contribute to the diagnosis of adult PASAT, and HCG stimulation test might also be of help in diagnosis. Patients with malignant PASAT have a shorter disease duration, larger tumor sizes and relatively higher androgen levels. Surgery is recommended for all local PASATs, and Malignancy of PASAT should be fully considered due to the high risk of malignancy, poor prognosis and limited effective approaches.

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 androgen-producing adrenocortical carcinoma with atrial flutter: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), the second most aggressive malignant tumor, lacks epidemiological data worldwide; therefore, every new case can improve the understanding of the pathology and treatment of this malignancy.

CASE SUMMARY

We present the case of a 66-year-old Caucasian woman with a giant androgen-producing ACC (21 cm × 17 cm × 12 cm; 2100 g), without metastases, which unusually presented with an acute onset of atrial flutter and congestive heart failure. The cardiac complications observed in our case support the hypothesis that androgen excess in women is a cardiovascular risk factor. Androgen excess in women can be a rare cause of reversible dilated cardiomyopathy, therefore a comprehensive approach to the patient is essential to improve the recognition of androgen-secreting ACC. The atrial flutter was remitted after initiation of drug treatment during admission. The severe heart failure was totally remitted at 6 mo after radical open surgery to remove the giant ACC.

CONCLUSION

Radical open surgery to remove a giant androgen-producing ACC was the first-line treatment to cure the excess of androgen, which determined the total remission of cardiac complications at 6 mo after surgery in the women of this case report.

Giant Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Relevant Literature

BACKGROUND Adrenocortical carcinomas are rare and aggressive tumors often diagnosed as incidentalomas. The malignancy can present with abnormal hormone secretion or the tumor may be non-functioning and present as a palpable mass causing discomfort. Here, we present a case of an adrenal cortical carcinoma originally identified as an incidentaloma. CASE REPORT A 63-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and discomfort. A large abdominal mass, occupying the left upper and lower quadrant, was palpated. Imaging revealed a mass occupying the left abdomen between the stomach and the spleen, applying pressure on the pylorus, duodenum, splenic vessels, and pancreas. The mass size was 21.2×13×14.6 cm. Hormonal investigations were normal. Surgical exploration was performed, and the tumor was excised. Pathological analysis revealed an adrenocortical carcinoma and the patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. Twelve months later, the carcinoma recurred. The patient underwent a second operation in which the recurrent mass was excised along with the tail of the pancreas and a small part of the left lobe of the liver. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home on the 7th postoperative day. No further adjuvant therapy was applied. The patient remains disease-free 18 months after the reoperation. CONCLUSIONS Giant adrenocortical carcinomas, although rare, pose a challenge to the surgical team both diagnostically and therapeutically. Surgical excision with the appropriate oncologic support can guarantee excellent outcomes.

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.