Recurrence of giant adrenocortical carcinoma in the contralateral adrenal gland 6 years after surgery: report of a case.
We report herein the case of a patient in whom a giant adrenocortical carcinoma was found to have recurred in the contralateral adrenal gland and intrapelvic cavity 6 years after his initial operation. A 52-year-old man had consulted our hospital complaining of right upper abdominal pain and weight loss, and was subsequently diagnosed as having a giant adrenal tumor by computed tomography scans and echography. A laparotomy was performed and the tumor, located in the right retroperitoneal cavity and infiltrating the liver and right kidney, was surgically removed. The lesion, 29 x 19 x 10 cm in size and 4700 g in weight, was histopathologically diagnosed as an adrenocortical carcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy with mitotane was given for 3 months and his postoperative course was uneventful until a recurrence in the contralateral adrenal gland and peritoneal cavity was found 6 years later. The second resection was successful, and he is currently alive with no further sign of recurrence 8 years after his first operation. We report this unusual case as it provides much useful information on the biological features of adrenocortical carcinomas and the state of tumor dormancy.
Kunieda
K
K
Second Department of Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Saji
S
S
Mori
S
S
Katoh
M
M
Miya
K
K
Yasuda
K
K
Mune
T
T
Shimokawa
K
K
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008939:Mitotane / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D008939:Mitotane