Yeungnam Univ J Med.
2012 Dec;29(2):132-135. 10.12701/yujm.2012.29.2.132.
A Case of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Secreting Cortisol and Aldosterone
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pjs00@yuhs.ac
- 2Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2049814
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2012.29.2.132
Abstract
- Adrenocortical carcinomas are rare and frequently aggressive tumors that may be functional (hormone-secreting) and may cause Cushing's syndrome or virilization, or non-functional and manifest as an abdominal mass. This paper reports the case of a 77-year-old woman with cortisol- and aldosterone-secreting adrenal carcinoma. The patient complained of general weakness, a moon face, and weight gain. She also had hypokalemia and hypertension. Her endocrinological data showed excessive aldosterone production and non-suppressible cortisol production in a low-dose dexamethasone suppresion test. Her abdominal CT showed a right adrenal mass. She underwent right adrenalectomy, and her histology revealed the presence of adrenocortical carcinoma. After adrenalectomy, her hypokalemia returned to normal and she is being treated with hydrocortisone.
