title: Myxoid variant of adrenocortical carcinoma: report of a unique case.
abstract: Myxoid variant of adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare, there being only 11 cases in the literature to date. Reported herein are the findings of a case, which in contrast to all previously reported myxoid ACC, was devoid of typical non-myxoid areas. The patient was a 61-year-old man in whom a left adrenal mass was detected during investigation of Cushing's syndrome. The adrenal was replaced by malignant cells and expanses of myxoid material. The cells were positive for melan-A, synaptophysin, vimentin and alpha-inhibin. The ultrastructural features of the cells were typical of adrenal cortical differentiation. The differential diagnosis of myxoid ACC includes extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, chordoma, myxoid adenocarcinoma, myxoma, lipomatous tumors, nerve sheath tumors, smooth muscle tumors, gastrointestinal stromal tumor and other sarcomas. The presence of myxoid material in a retroperitoneal lesion raises a broad differential diagnosis in which myxoid adrenocortical neoplasms should be included. Clinicoradiological correlation may be helpful, but special stains, immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural examination may be necessary to establish the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia. rooshdiya@yahoo.com.au
authors.forename: Rooshdiya Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wills
authors.forename: Stanley W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Scolyer
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D002817:Chordoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000032:analysis; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D058965:MART-1 Antigen; C548667:MLANA protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016708:Synaptophysin; D014746:Vimentin