Serum Steroid Profiling in the Diagnosis of Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Prospective Cohort Study

Guidelines suggest performing urine steroid profiling in patients with indeterminate adrenal tumors to make a noninvasive diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). However, urine steroid profiling is not widely available.

To determine the accuracy of clinically available serum 11-deoxycortisol, 17OH-progesterone, and 17OH-pregnenolone in diagnosing ACC.

We conducted a prospective single-center cohort study of patients with adrenal masses evaluated between 2015 and 2023. Serum was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for 17OH-pregnenolone, 17OH-progesterone, and 11-deoxycortisol. Reference standard for adrenal mass included histopathology, imaging characteristics, imaging follow up of 2 years, or clinical follow up of 5 years. Localized Generalized Matrix Learning Vector Quantization analysis was used to develop serum steroid score and assessed with area under receiver operating curve.

Of 263 patients with adrenal masses, 44 (16.7%) were diagnosed with ACC, 161 (61%) with adrenocortical adenomas (ACAs), 27 (10%) with other adrenal malignancies, and 31 (12%) with other. Hounsfield unit ≥ 20 was demonstrated in all ACCs, in all but 1 other adrenal malignancy, and in 58 (31%) ACAs. All 3 steroids were higher in patients with ACCs vs non-ACCs, including when comparing ACCs with functioning ACAs, and with ACAs with Hounsfield unit ≥ 20 (P < .0001 for all). Localized Generalized Matrix Learning Vector Quantization analysis yielded a serum steroid score that discriminated between ACC and non-ACC groups with a mean threshold fixed area under receiver operating curve of 0.823.

We showed that measurements of 11-deoxycortisol, 17OH-progesterone, and 17OH-pregnenolone could be valuable in diagnosing ACC. After appropriate validation, serum steroid score could be integrated in clinical practice.