title: Unusual association of adrenal angiosarcoma and Cushing's disease.
abstract: The occurrence of an angiosarcoma in the adrenal gland is exceedingly rare as only 21 patients have been reported in the literature since its first description 30 years ago. We report the clinicopathological features of a 34-year-old patient presenting with overt Cushing's syndrome due to a ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma and an adrenal spindle cell angiosarcoma. This association made the diagnosis of Cushing's disease particularly puzzling in view of the results of biochemical tests which were compatible in part with adrenal and in part with paraneoplastic hypercortisolism and the negative pituitary imaging. The unique appearance of this tumor and its diagnostic implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Diseases and Diabetology, Istituto Scientifico San Michele, Milan, Italy. invitti@auxologico
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Invitti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pecori Giraldi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavagnini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sonzogni
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male