title: Adrenocortical carcinoma: review of the pathologic features, production of adrenal steroids, and molecular pathogenesis.
abstract: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant neoplasm often associated with an aggressive biological behavior. The histologic differentiation between ACC and adrenocortical adenoma (ACA) is largely determined by employing the Weiss criteria, although this classification may not apply to all the cases. Additionally, various genomic features of ACC could be an auxiliary mode to establish the diagnosis of ACC. Most ACC cases are hormonally functional, and immunohistochemical analysis of steroidogenic enzymes has provided pivotal information as to the analysis of intratumoral production of corticosteroids. This article summarizes the current status of the histopathological diagnosis, molecular pathogenesis, and hormonal features of ACC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Saulo J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Felizola
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ise
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. Electronic address: hsasano@patholo2.med.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D035683:MicroRNAs; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000450:Aldosterone; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Adrenocortical carcinoma; Immunohistochemistry; Molecular pathology; Steroidogenesis; Weiss criteria