Benign desoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal tumor

A woman with a benign tumor of the left adrenal cortex had a six-year history of hypertension. Serum potassium level and plasma renin activity were low. Plasma aldosterone and cortisol levels were low normal, and plasma desoxycorticosterone (DOC) level was extremely high. Iodine 131-labeled cholesterol accumulated in the tumor in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. At laparotomy, a benign adrenal tumor was excised; thereafter, the blood pressure and plasma DOC levels returned to normal. We believe that this is the first case of a benign DOC-producing adrenal tumor.