[Adrenal adenomatoid tumor. A rare clinicopathological entity]

Adenomatoid tumors are uncommon, benign tumors of the genital tract which have also been reported to occur extragenitally. Case reports on adenomatoid tumors of the adrenal gland exist. Most of these are incidentally discovered at autopsy or after the resection of incidentalomas. We report on the case of a young man with epigastic pain and with the finding of a 4 cm heterogeneous right adrenal mass on abdominal CT scan. After endocrine activity had been ruled out, an inactive, benign adrenal tumor was suspected and laparoscopic right adrenalectomy performed. The specimen was found to be an adenomatoid tumor. We discuss the differential diagnosis and the possible embryological origin of these tumors. The feature of 'local invasive ability' does not imply malignancy. All cases discovered surgically and at autopsy have been benign. Local resection seems to be the appropriate therapy.