A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review

The primary management in the care of patients with adrenal incidentalomas is to determine the oncologic risk, namely, the possibility of malignancy. The first place among adrenal incidentaloma lesions requiring diagnosis and treatment promptly is adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Similarly, in the ca...

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Main Authors: Joanna Sobolewska, Wioleta Respondek, Przemyslaw Witek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1533711/full
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author Joanna Sobolewska
Wioleta Respondek
Przemyslaw Witek
author_facet Joanna Sobolewska
Wioleta Respondek
Przemyslaw Witek
author_sort Joanna Sobolewska
collection DOAJ
description The primary management in the care of patients with adrenal incidentalomas is to determine the oncologic risk, namely, the possibility of malignancy. The first place among adrenal incidentaloma lesions requiring diagnosis and treatment promptly is adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Similarly, in the case of pheochromocytoma, the lack of early diagnosis worsens the patient’s prognosis. Even though both ACC and pheochromocytoma are among the less frequent adrenal lesions, neither should be excluded during differential diagnostics, especially in patients with an equivocal clinical presentation and non-typical adenoma radiological features. ACC presenting as pheochromocytoma is one of the few cases described in the literature, some of which could not collect exhaustive clinical data. Herein, in this article, we would like to provide an overview of reported ACC cases clinically manifesting as pheochromocytoma, based on the clinical image of a 59-year-old female patient with unintentional weight loss, non-specific abdominal pain, a diagnosis of hypertension, and significantly elevated excretion of 3-methoxytyramine in a 24-h urine collection, histopathologically diagnosed with ACC. The case presented emphasizes how crucial a comprehensive diagnostics and individual approach to the patient would be.
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spelling doaj-art-41bc9511e1aa4ae0aa80f48d009238e82025-02-11T05:10:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-02-011610.3389/fendo.2025.15337111533711A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature reviewJoanna Sobolewska0Wioleta Respondek1Przemyslaw Witek2Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Mazovian Brodnowski Hospital, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandThe primary management in the care of patients with adrenal incidentalomas is to determine the oncologic risk, namely, the possibility of malignancy. The first place among adrenal incidentaloma lesions requiring diagnosis and treatment promptly is adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Similarly, in the case of pheochromocytoma, the lack of early diagnosis worsens the patient’s prognosis. Even though both ACC and pheochromocytoma are among the less frequent adrenal lesions, neither should be excluded during differential diagnostics, especially in patients with an equivocal clinical presentation and non-typical adenoma radiological features. ACC presenting as pheochromocytoma is one of the few cases described in the literature, some of which could not collect exhaustive clinical data. Herein, in this article, we would like to provide an overview of reported ACC cases clinically manifesting as pheochromocytoma, based on the clinical image of a 59-year-old female patient with unintentional weight loss, non-specific abdominal pain, a diagnosis of hypertension, and significantly elevated excretion of 3-methoxytyramine in a 24-h urine collection, histopathologically diagnosed with ACC. The case presented emphasizes how crucial a comprehensive diagnostics and individual approach to the patient would be.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1533711/fulladrenocortical carcinomapheochromocytomaadrenal incidentalomasymptomsmild autonomous cortisol secretion
spellingShingle Joanna Sobolewska
Wioleta Respondek
Przemyslaw Witek
A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
Frontiers in Endocrinology
adrenocortical carcinoma
pheochromocytoma
adrenal incidentaloma
symptoms
mild autonomous cortisol secretion
title A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
title_full A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
title_fullStr A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
title_full_unstemmed A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
title_short A rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma: a case report and literature review
title_sort rare manifestation of adrenocortical carcinoma as a mimic of pheochromocytoma a case report and literature review
topic adrenocortical carcinoma
pheochromocytoma
adrenal incidentaloma
symptoms
mild autonomous cortisol secretion
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1533711/full
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