ABSTRACT
Objective:To present the clinical characteristics and treatment on patients with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) syndrome (EAS) caused by the retroperitoneal paraganglioma.Methods:The clinical data of a case of EAS caused by retroperitoneal paraganglioma were analyzed retrospectively, and the related literature at home and abroad was reviewed.Results:The 53-year-old female patient was admitted to endocrinology department due to a fifteen-year history of hypertension, accompanied by fatigue for three months, headache and dizziness for one month. The laboratory data demonstrated severe hypokalemia, high level of serum and urinary cortisol, while the ACTH level remained unsuppressed. The 24 h urinary vanillyl mandelic acid (VMA) and serum free methoxyepinephrine (MNs) level were elevated. The abdominal computed tomographic scan suggested a retroperitoneal mass next to the abdominal aorta. After the retroperitoneal tumor resection was performed, immunohistochemical staining of the tumor revealed Syn (+ ), CgA (+ ), ACTH (focal + ). By the retrospective analysis of 22 similar cases from 16 papers and the case summarized above, we found that most patients with EAS caused by the paraganglioma could demonstrate the typical clinical features of Cushing′s syndrome, while lack of the manifestation of paraganglioma. Therefore, preoperative preparations for paraganglioma were usually neglected.Conclusions:Ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) originating from paraganglioma is very rare. To improve the diagnosis rate, examination for catecholamine, MNs and 24 h urinary VMA before surgery in patients with EAS is suggested. Considering surgical resection as the optimal treatment, comprehensive preoperative preparations for both paraganglioma and Cushing′s syndrome are significant. A genetic test for pheochromocytoma/ paraganglioma and lifelong postoperative follow-up are also recommend.
ABSTRACT
Purpose To explore the clinicopathologic characteristics, immunophenotype, diagnosis and differential diagnosis, molecu-lar genetic feature, treatments and prognosis of intra-abdominal EIMS. Methods Two cases of intra-abdominal EIMS were studied with clinical manifestations, histology and immunohistochemical staining, and its clinical and pathological findings were further ana-lyzed with review of the literature. Results Case 1 was a 15-year-olds male and case 2 was a 21-year-olds female both of whom pres-ented with abdominal pain. Two patients were treated by surgical excision. Microscopically the tumor consisted of two different histolog-ical types, one of which was of high cell density and the other with low cell density and myxoid stroma. Both of these areas contained inflammatory cells, mainly neutrophils with few lymphocytes and plasmocytes. Tumor cells had an epithelioid phenotype with round nu-clei and small nucleoli, various nuclear atypia and mitotic figures were also found, which consistented with the diagnosis of epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the tumor cells were positive for ALK, vimentin, desmin, and CK(AE1/AE3) (focal), and were negative for Calretinin, CD30, CD31, CD33, SMA, HHF35, Myogenin, S-100, HMB-45, CD20, CD79a, CD3, CD5, CD45 and CD68. ALK rearrangement was identified in both cases by FISH using ALK break-a-part probe. Conclusions As an extremely rare tumor, the distinguishing between epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma and conventional inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is important. ALK inhibitors are theoretically useful for treating these tumors.