Korean J Med.  2017 Oct;92(5):471-475. 10.3904/kjm.2017.92.5.471.

Adrenal Gland Metastasis of a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

• Kang HJ
• Cho HJ
• Kim KH
• Joung MK
• Shin JU
• Jin SS

• KMID: 2392334
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2017.92.5.471

Abstract

A 56-year-old male with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) underwent surgical resection of the tumor. Nine months after surgery, imatinib therapy was initiated because of the discovery of metastatic tumors in the left adrenal gland and in a lymph node of the peritoneum. Seventeen months later, the patient achieved complete remission (CR) and imatinib therapy was continued. However, 48 months after initiation of imatinib therapy, computed tomography scans revealed a left adrenal gland metastasis and the patient underwent left adrenalectomy. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the spindle-shaped cells of the resected tumor were positive for C-kit, thus confirming metastasis of the GIST. This is the first report from Korea of an adrenal gland metastasis from a GIST. Worldwide, only two such cases have been reported. Here, we describe the first case of a distant recurrence of a GIST in the left adrenal gland after CR had been achieved with the aid of surgical resection and imatinib therapy.

Keyword

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors; Adrenal glands; Metastasis; Imatinib

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Glands*
Adrenalectomy
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors*
Humans
Imatinib Mesylate
Korea
Lymph Nodes
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Peritoneum
Recurrence
Imatinib Mesylate