ADRENAL ADENOMA WITH AUTONOMOUS CORTISOL SECRETION ACCOMPANIED BY HOMOLATERAL RENAL CELL CARCINOMA: A CASE REPORT.

Abstract

CONTEXT:

Patients with renal malignancies present high risk of adrenal hyperplasia and adenoma, and part of these are primary lesions, mostly non-functional. Here we presented a case diagnosed as primary adrenal adenoma with autonomous cortisol secretion accompanied by homolateral renal cell carcinoma.

CASE PRESENTATION:

A 79-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of a left adrenal mass, with a past medical history of severe hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. On examination, no clinical signs of cushingoid features were found. Biochemical measurements showed plasma cortisol was 12.77 μg/dL and was not suppressed by 1 mg dexamethasone (DXM) overnight test (13.6 μg/dL). The contrast CT scan presented a 2.2 cm diameter adrenal mass and revealed, unfortunately, a hyperdense mass at the middle-upper pole of the left kidney. Laparoscopic nephrectomy with left adrenalectomy was performed and pathological examination indicated a final diagnosis of benign adrenocortical adenoma and renal clear cell carcinoma. At 2 months postoperatively, without replacement treatment of cortisol, a recovery of circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion was detected, indicated recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with renal cancer might be accompanied with functional adrenal adenoma. Therefore, screening for adrenal function should be recommended in patients with renal tumors and/or adrenal incidentaloma.

• Authors: C Liu, H Zhang, X Li
• Journal: Acta endocrinologica (Bucharest, Romania : 2005) (Acta Endocrinol (Buchar)) 2020 Jan-Mar Vol. 16 Issue 1 Pg. 97-102 ISSN: 1841-0987 [Print] Romania
• PMID: 32685047 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: ©by Acta Endocrinologica Foundation.