Long-term survival over 28 years of a patient with metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma--case report.
Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and highly malignant tumour with up to 70% of the patients diagnosed at an advanced clinical stage, up to 40% presenting with metastases. Even after complete surgical excision, up to 80% of the patients show locoregional recurrence or metastases. We report a case of a 62-year-old woman with a non-functional ACC of the left adrenal gland (T2N0M0 classified as stage II). After the initial resection, 3 operations for metastasis of the contralateral adrenal gland and 4 operations for metastasis of the lungs were carried out, allowing survival for more than 28 years with a good quality of life. This case report emphasises the need for careful clinical and radiographic follow-up. A repeat surgical approach should be adopted whenever possible providing long-term survival over decades.
Meyer
Andreas
A
Abt. für Strahlentherapie und spezielle Onkologie, Med. Hochschule, Hannover, Germany.
Behrend
Matthias
M
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology