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Updated: Mar 5, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Ectopic ACTH-producing large cell neuroendocrine Pancoast tumour presenting as Horner syndrome
Rajanshu Verma1, Alexandra Lambert2, Harold H Katz3
1Hospitalist, Department of Hospital Medicine, Augusta Health, Fishersville, Virginia, USA.
Abstract:
We present an interesting case where a patient is presented with a droopy left eyelid (as part of Horner syndrome) and Cushingoid features which were a result of a Pancoast tumour (apical lung tumour in superior pulmonary sulcus) involving the left lung. This tumour was secreting ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a paraneoplastic endocrine phenomenon, which resulted in Cushing syndrome symptomatology. Though most ectopic ACTH-producing lung cancers are either small cell or carcinoid tumours, this was in fact a large cell neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC). Patient underwent surgical resection and adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy with radiation; however, he succumbed to LCNEC given aggressive nature of the disease.
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