Ectopic ACTH syndrome in APUD tumors.
Rapidly progressing hypercorticism was observed in 2 patients with malignant neoplasms, a 72-year-old man with anaplastic small cell carcinoma and a 48-year-old woman with a primary apudoma of the liver. Both patients were treated with chemotherapy in conventional doses. Both patients developed acute dyspnea and sudden death, 7 and 10 days, respectively, after chemotherapy was given. The possibility that patients with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion are excessively vulnerable to chemotherapy is raised and judicious management urged.
D000182:ACTH Syndrome, Ectopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001079:Apudoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents