[Glucocorticoids in patients with tumors of the adrenal cortex]

Basal concentrations of plasma cortisol (F), corticosterone (B) and 11-desoxycortisol (S) and urinary excretion of glucocorticoids (17-OCS, F and B) were investigated in 50 patients with verified hormonally active adrenocortical tumors; 78 patients with Itsenko-Cushing disease (ICD) and 30 healthy controls of respective age were investigated in parallel with them. It was shown that judging by the nature of secretion, corticosteroma, corticoandrosteroma and androsteroma were mixed-type tumors producing the main glucocorticoids at substantial quantities. The levels of hormones did not differ considerably in patients with the above tumor types. When comparing patients with tumors and ICD a high basal concentration of B was found in the blood of tumor patients. In adenoma and ICD the blood and urinary level of glucocorticoids increased 2-3-fold, in malignant tumors it increased 3-5-fold and more. A noticeable rise of the blood concentration of S in a confirmed diagnosis of a tumor pointed to its malignant nature with a high degree of probability.