Navarro-Hermosillo L, Mendoza-Salgado C, González-López S, Escalante-Pulido JM

Language: Spanish
References: 7
Page: 97-102
PDF size: 245.04 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Five to 15 % of the general population have adrenal tumors. Most of these tumors are benign, and adrenal carcinomas are very rare. 60% of adrenal carcinomas produce hormones such as glucocorticoids, androgens and mineralocorticoids. Androgen producing adrenal carcinomas cause hirsutism and virilization in women, and gonadal enlargement in men. They can also cause abdominal symptoms because of the mass effect. These neoplasms are associated with inactivating mutations of tumor suppressor genes and IGF-II overexpresssion. Diagnosis is made by measuring plasma levels of adrenal androgens, and tumor localization is made by computed tomography and/or MRI. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice only when size and extension allow it. In those patients in whom surgical resection is not possible, cytotoxic chemotheraphy is an option. When lymph node metastasis or invasion of adjacent organs exist, the prognosis is poor. There are a few reported cases of virilizing adrenal carcinomas. We present the case of a 48 year woman with virilization, weight loss and hyperandrogenemia due to a left adrenal mass. This mass was an androgen/glucocorticoid producing adrenal carcinoma with liver metastasis.

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