Feminizing adrenocortical carcinoma without gynecomastia

Abstract EN

Malignant feminizing adrenocortical tumors are exceedingly rare.

Their main presentation is gynecomastia.

In these estrogen secreting tumors (with or without other adrenocortical hormones) lack of gynecomastia is exceptional as in our case.

A 44-year-old man presented with abdominal pain.

Radiological assessment revealed a tumor measuring 120 × 95 mm in the retroperitoneal area with numerous metastases.

Pathological examination pleaded for an adrenal origin with a Weiss’s score of 5.

Six months later, the tumor relapsed, and he had a second surgery and was sent for hormone assessment.

Clinical examination showed a skinny man with severe fatigue.

He had no Cushingoid features.

Gynecomastia and galactorrhea were absent.

Penile length, testicular volume, and body hair growth were normal.

Several cutaneous nodules were present.

Biological assessment showed high morning plasma cortisol, which failed to be suppressed by treatment with 2 mg dexamethasone.

Plasma estradiol and 17OH progesterone levels were high, but his testosterone levels were low.

Radiological exploration showed numerous metastases: pleural, pulmonary, retroperitoneal, and abdominal.

He was treated with classical chemotherapy, but he died four months after diagnosis.