Abstract
Bilateral adrenal tumors are very uncommon in clinical practice and all originate from the same histology. We presented here a case report and literature review of bilateral adrenal tumors from different histology: pheochromocytoma in one side and adrenocortical adenoma in the other side. The patient was a 37 years old female suffered from Cushing’s syndrome form 3 years. One year ago she was diagnosed as ACTH-independent Cushing’s syndrome and received Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for right adrenal tumor which diagnosed as a pheochromocytoma by the pathological reports. After the operation, patient’s clinical manifestation was not change, then half-year later the lab test showed no improvement in the blood biochemical parameters. Finally, CT detected a mass in left adrenal gland. Thereafter, this patient received Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for left adrenal tumor. The tumor was diagnosed as adrenocortical adenoma by the pathologists. One week after operation, the blood biochemical parameters became normal. In conclusion, bilateral adrenal tumors from different histology are very rare, adrenalectomy for both side tumors and preserving the normal adrenal glands is necessary.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rybakov, S. I., Korotkin, V. N., Komissarenko, I. V., et al. (1989). Bilateral tumors of the adrenal cortical substance. Klinichna Khirurhiia, 12, 11–13.
Imai, T., Kikumori, T., Shibata, A., et al. (2003). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for incidentaloma and bilateral adrenal disease. Asian Journal of Surgery, 26, 64–70.
Lack, E. E. (1997). Tumors of the adrenal gland and extra-adrenal paraganglia (Atlas of Tumor Pathology, Third Series) (Vol. 19). Washington, DC: Armed Forced Institute of Pathology.
Young, J. W. (2007). Clinical practice: The incidentally discovered adrenal mass. New England Journal of Medicine, 356, 601–610.
Kudva, Y. C., Sawka, A. M., & Young, J. W. (2003). The laboratory diagnosis of adrenal pheochromocytoma: The Mayo Clinic experience. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 88, 4533–4539.
Yaneva, M., Vandeva, S., Zacharieva, S., Daly, A. F., & Beckers, A. (2010). Genetics of Cushing’s syndrome. Neuroendocrinology, 92, 6–10.
Rizek, P., Gorecki, P., Lindenmayer, A., & Moktan, S. (2011). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for bilateral metachronous aldosteronomas. Journal of the Society of Laparoendscopic Surgeons, 5, 100–104.
Mundada, O. P., Aron, M., Sivaramakrishna, B., et al. (2003). Bilateral adrenal metastases from a primary hepatocellular carcinoma. International Urology and Nephrology, 35, 303–305.
Lam, K. Y., & Lo, C. Y. (2002). Metastatic tumors of the adrenal glands: A 30-year experience in a teaching hospital. Clinical Endocrinology (Oxf), 56, 95–101.
Hess, K. R., Varadhachary, G. R., & Taylor, S. H. (2006). Metastatic patterns in adenocarcinoma. Cancer, 106, 1624–1633.
Arellano, R. S., Harisinghani, M. G., Gervais, D. A., Hahn, P. F., & Mueller, P. R. (2003). Image-guided percutaneous biopsy of the adrenal gland: Review of indications, technique and complications. Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology, 32, 3–10.
Gumbs, A. A., & Gagner, M. (2006). The role for laparoscopic surgery in adrenal diseases Laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Best Practice and Research Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 20, 483–499.
Acknowledgments
Thanks for Weixun Zhou, professor of Department of pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. This work is supported by the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20070023069).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, Y., Li, H., Xiao, J. et al. Bilateral Adrenal Tumors from Different Histology: Case Report and Literature Review. Cell Biochem Biophys 71, 425–429 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-014-0216-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-014-0216-x