Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Pituitary Adenoma with Mucin Cells in a Man with an Unusual Presentation of Carney Complex

  • Published:
Endocrine Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We describe a 44-year-old man with infertility, acromegaly, and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Clinical examination of the patient revealed hyperpigmented macules on the lips, buccal mucosa, and face which were histologically confirmed as cutaneous myxomas and blue nevi. Ultrasound revealed testicular calcifications and multiple hypoechoic thyroid nodules. MR imaging showed a pituitary microadenoma and resection revealed it to be a growth hormone and prolactin-secreting adenoma with the unusual finding of admixed individual mucin-producing cells. We discuss mucin cells in pituitary adenoma, an unreported pathologic finding in a patient with Carney complex.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Boikos SA, Stratakis CA. Carney complex: pathology and molecular genetics. Neuroendocrinology 2006; 83:189–199.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Casey M, Mah C, Merliss AD, Kirschner LS, Taymans SE, Denio AE, Korf B, Irvine AD, Hughes A, Carney JA, Stratakis CA, Basson CT. Identification of a novel genetic locus for familial cardiac myxomas and Carney complex. Circulation. 1998; 98: 2560–2566.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Stratakis CA, Carney JA, Lin J-P, et al. Carney complex, a familial multiple neoplasia and lentiginosis syndrome. Analysis of 11 kindreds and linkage to the short arm of chromosome 2. J Clin Invest. 1996; 97:699–705.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Stratakis CA, Kirschner LS, Carney JA. Clinical and molecular features of the Carney complex: diagnostic criteria and recommendations for patient evaluation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 86:4041–4046.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stergiopoulos SG, Abu-Asab MS, Tsokos M, and Stratakis CA. Pituitary pathology in Carney complex patients. Pituitary. 2004; 7(2):73–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Pack SD, Kirschner LS, Pak E, Zhuang Z, Carney JA, Stratakis CA. Genetic and histologic studies of somatomammotropic pituitary tumors in patients with the “complex of spotty skin pigmentation, myxomas, endocrine overactivity and schwannomas” (Carney complex). J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000;85:3860–3865.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Burger PC, Scheithauer BW, Vogel FS. Region of the sella turcica: adenomas producing both growth hormone and prolactin. In: Surgical pathology of the nervous system and its coverings; 4th edition. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingston; 2002:457–459.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kepes JJ. Transitional cell tumor of the pituitary gland developing from a Rathke’s cleft cyst. Cancer. 1978; 41(1):337–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pearl GS, Takei Y, Kurisaka M, Seyama S, Tindall GT. Cystic prolactinoma: a variant of “transitional cell tumor” of the pituitary. Am J Surg Pathol. 1981; 5(1):85–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ikeda H, Yoshimoto T, Katakura R. A case of Rathke’s cleft cyst within a pituitary adenoma presenting with acromegaly—do “transitional cell tumors of the pituitary gland” really exist? Acta Neuropathol. 1992; 83(2):211–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Min HS, Lee SJ, Kim SK, Park SH. Pituitary pathology with rich folliculo-stellate cells and mucin-producing epithelia arising in a 2-year-old-girl. Pathol Int. 2007; 57(9):600–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Scheithauer BW, Horvath E, Abel TW, Robital Y, Park SH, Osamura RY, Deal C, Lloyd RV, Kovacs K. Pituitary blastoma: a unique embryonal tumor. Pituitary. 2012;15(3):365–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Devnath S, Inoue K. An insight to pituitary folliculo-stellate cells. J Neuroendocrinol. 2008; 20(6):687–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pery C Jr, Avallone S, Regenet N, Coron E, Le Borgne J. Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas in 2 twin brothers diagnosed as having the Carney complex. Pancreas. 2009; 38(2):237–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Gaujoux S, Tissier F, Ragazzon B, Rebours V, Saloustros E, Perlemoine K, Vincent-Dejean C, Meurette G, Cassagnau E, Dousset B, Bertagna X, Horvath A, Terris B, Carney JA, Stratakis CA, Bertherat J. Pancreatic ductal and acinar cell neoplasms in Carney complex: a possible new association. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011; 96(11):E1888-95.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Stephen J. Coleman, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, for his technical assistance and providing the electron microscopy images.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no commercial associations or other conflicts of interest to disclose in connection with the submitted manuscript. The information in this manuscript is not funded.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabrielle A. Yeaney.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yeaney, G.A., Brathwaite, J.M., Dashnaw, M.L. et al. Pituitary Adenoma with Mucin Cells in a Man with an Unusual Presentation of Carney Complex. Endocr Pathol 24, 106–109 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-013-9247-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-013-9247-x

Keywords

Navigation