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Published on: September 15, 2017
Adrenocortical Carcinoma in a 6-Month-Old Infant
Seema Rahar1, Devender Singh Chauhan1, Shashikant Singh1
1Department of Pathology, PGIMER and Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Insights
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare adrenal cortex cancer, is exceptionally uncommon in infants. This case highlights ACC in a 6-month-old, emphasizing its rarity and hormonal activity in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Rare Cancers
Background:
- Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy originating from the adrenal cortex.
- ACC is exceptionally rare in infancy, with limited documented cases.
- Hormonal activity is a common characteristic of these tumors.
Abstract:
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumor arising from the adrenal cortex and it is even rarer in infancy. These tumors are usually hormonally active. We report a case of ACC in a 6-month-old infant who was brought by her mother with complaints of hirsutism and abnormally looking genitalia. Serum 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and serum cortisol levels were raised. Subsequently, imaging studies revealed a large well-circumscribed soft-tissue mass in the right suprarenal region. The tumor was excised, and on histopathology in conjunction with immunohistochemistry, a diagnosis of ACC was given. Only four other cases of ACC have been reported till date in the literature, with an age of 6 months or younger. Hereby, we present a case of ACC in a young infant.
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