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Updated: Nov 6, 2025

A Novel Method: Super-selective Adrenal Venous Sampling
Published on: September 15, 2017
Functional Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Rare Case With Thrombus Extension Into the Inferior Vena Cava and a
Thomas M Southall1, Morgan MacDonald2, Matthew R Acker2
1Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, CAN.
Abstract:
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, highly malignant endocrine tumor, often associated with a poor prognosis. Most patients who develop ACC are either children of ages 1-6, or adults in their fourth to fifth decade of life. Individuals with a functional cortisol-secreting ACC frequently present with Cushing syndrome. We report a case of an 18-year-old male who was found to have a large ACC tumor, with thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava (IVC), after presenting with Cushing syndrome. ACC presents a challenging scenario for physicians as surgical resection remains the only form of curative therapy, however, despite such treatment many patients quickly develop metastases.
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