title: Severe Cushing's syndrome related to a small pulmonary carcinoid with widespread dissemination.
abstract: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is characterized by the overproduction of cortisol that may result in significant morbidity and mortality if left untreated. CS is very rarely caused by ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production from several tumors, although pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are the most common etiology. It is controversial whether such tumors are more clinically aggressive than other pNETs. We herein report an unusual case of severe ectopic CS caused by a small pulmonary carcinoid in the lung with massive neoplastic dissemination to the liver. We highlight and discuss the unusual clinical onset, with diagnostic and therapeutic criticism, of this rare entity.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lococo
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Negro
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanelli
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valli
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filice
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paci
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000368:Aged; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology*; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone