[Adrenocortical carcinoma. Diagnostic work-up and treatment]

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare disease with poor prognosis. Preoperatively, a thorough hormonal work-up is mandatory, as the hormonal status may influence the perioperative management and may also provide marker hormones for monitoring of tumour recurrence. CT and MRI are equally sensitive and specific imaging tools for adrenal tumours. For discerning malignancy, assessment of the fat content of the tumour and contrast media wash-out after 10 min are of great value. Complete surgical resection of the tumour offers the only chance for cure. Open adrenalectomy via a flank or thoracoabdominal approach is the standard surgical technique. Intraoperative tumour spillage should be carefully avoided. Even after R0 resection, recurrence of the disease is frequent and regular follow-up for a minimum of 5 years is required. In advanced ACC, the treatment of choice is mitotane with or without cytotoxic chemotherapy (preferably after inclusion into the FIRM-ACT trial).