Paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome associated to locally advanced thymic carcinoid tumor.
BACKGROUND
Thymic carcinoid is a frequent cause of Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic adrenocorticotropin secretion. Histology and immunohistochemistry allow differential diagnosis from other epithelial thymic tumors, such as thymomas and thymic carcinomas. The term used to name this tumor is confusing, since it is a malignant neuroendocrine neoplasm, and therapeutic approaches need to bear that in mind.


METHODS
Unlike most cases of thymic carcinoid associated to Cushing's syndrome that had distant metastases at diagnosis, we report a 50-year-old male who presented with Cushing's syndrome and was diagnosed with thymic carcinoid without distant metastases. Multimodal treatment with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy (cisplatin plus etoposide) induced a complete clinical and biochemical remission lasting for 46 months.
Andrés
Raquel
R
Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain.
Mayordomo
José I
JI
Ramón y Cajal
Santiago
S
Tres
Alejandro
A
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
D053379:Chromogranin A; D002864:Chromogranins; D005047:Etoposide; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002945:Cisplatin