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CaseReport: Aldosterone-secreting adrenal carcinoma complicating longstanding hypertension

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 34, pages 411–412 (2020)Cite this article

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Aldosterone-secreting adrenal carcinomas are rare and usually rapidly fatal. The first case report was published in 1955 [1] and in 2001, Dixon and Bing reported two cases in this journal and were able to find only a further 24 reports in the world literature [2]. In a literature analysis in 2005, Secca and colleagues identified 58 case reports [3]. In their series the average age of onset was 44 years with a range of 17–79 years. Conversely in a report of 136 patients with primary aldosterone excess from Glasgow, none had adrenocortical carcinoma [4].

With such a late age of onset it would be expected that many of the patients might already have developed raised blood pressure and be classified as having chronic pre-existing hypertension. There is, however no information on this point. We have encountered an elderly patient with a rapidly growing aldosterone-secreting adrenal carcinoma where there is well documented evidence of previous longstanding hypertension.

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References

  1. Foye LV, Feichtmeier TV. Adrenal cortical carcinoma producing solely mineralocorticoid effect. Am J Med. 1955;19:966–75.

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  2. Dixon AN, Bing RF. Two cases of adrenocortical carcinoma presenting as Conn’s syndrome. J Hum Hypertens. 2001;15:75–9.

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  3. Seccia TM, Fassina A, Nussdorfer GG, Pessina AC, Rossi GP. Aldosterone-producing adrenocortical carcinoma: an unusual cause of Conn’s syndrome with an ominous clinical course. Endocr-Relat Cancer. 2005;12:149–59.

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  4. Ferris JB, Beevers DG, Brown JJ, Fraser R, Lever AF, Padfield PL, et al. Low-renin (“primary”) hyperaldosteronism. Differential diagnosis and distinction of sub-groups within the syndrome. Am Heart J. 1978;95:641–58.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of Medicine, City Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    A. Shantsila & D. G. Beevers

  2. Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK

    G. Y. H. Lip

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  1. A. Shantsila
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  2. G. Y. H. Lip
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  3. D. G. Beevers
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Correspondence to A. Shantsila.

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Shantsila, A., Lip, G.Y.H. & Beevers, D.G. CaseReport: Aldosterone-secreting adrenal carcinoma complicating longstanding hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 34, 411–412 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-019-0209-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-019-0209-8

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