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Morphological and clinical characteristics of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma
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Abstract
Material and methods: Seven patients subjected to an adrenalectomy for an adrenal tumour after which a postoperative pathological examination revealed adrenal cancer were analysed. Histologically tumours were analysed according to the Weiss scale. The stage of the disease was classified according to the TNM and MacFarlane scales.
Results: In 2 patients symptoms of endocrine hyperactivity were observed, in 3, uncharacteristic abdominal pain while in 2, the tumour was diagnosed accidentally. In 2 patients local disease was diagnosed (T2, N0, M0; MacFarlane stage II), in 4, regional (T4, N1, M0; MacFarlane stage III), in 1, metastatic (T4, N1, M0; MacFarlane stage IV). In 1 patient 4 features of malignancy according to the Weiss scale were observed, while in the remaining patients, the number of features was 7 to 9. Poor prognostic factors, such as mitoses > 5/50 HPF were observed in all cases, atypical mitoses in 6, necrosis in 5, venous infiltration in 5, capsular infiltration in 5. The follow-up period was 3 to 44 months. In 2 patients no features of recurrence were observed, in remaining 5 there was local recurrence, dissemination of the disease and as a consequence, death.
Conclusions: Adrenocortical carcinoma is a tumour of high malignancy, diagnosed usually in advanced stage, which results in a poor prognosis for patients suffering from this disease.
Abstract
Material and methods: Seven patients subjected to an adrenalectomy for an adrenal tumour after which a postoperative pathological examination revealed adrenal cancer were analysed. Histologically tumours were analysed according to the Weiss scale. The stage of the disease was classified according to the TNM and MacFarlane scales.
Results: In 2 patients symptoms of endocrine hyperactivity were observed, in 3, uncharacteristic abdominal pain while in 2, the tumour was diagnosed accidentally. In 2 patients local disease was diagnosed (T2, N0, M0; MacFarlane stage II), in 4, regional (T4, N1, M0; MacFarlane stage III), in 1, metastatic (T4, N1, M0; MacFarlane stage IV). In 1 patient 4 features of malignancy according to the Weiss scale were observed, while in the remaining patients, the number of features was 7 to 9. Poor prognostic factors, such as mitoses > 5/50 HPF were observed in all cases, atypical mitoses in 6, necrosis in 5, venous infiltration in 5, capsular infiltration in 5. The follow-up period was 3 to 44 months. In 2 patients no features of recurrence were observed, in remaining 5 there was local recurrence, dissemination of the disease and as a consequence, death.
Conclusions: Adrenocortical carcinoma is a tumour of high malignancy, diagnosed usually in advanced stage, which results in a poor prognosis for patients suffering from this disease.
Keywords
adrenocortical carcinoma; adrenalectomy; pathomorphology


Title
Morphological and clinical characteristics of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma
Journal
Chirurgia Polska (Polish Surgery)
Issue
Pages
146-155
Published online
2006-04-12
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Bibliographic record
Chirurgia Polska 2006;8(2):146-155.
Keywords
adrenocortical carcinoma
adrenalectomy
pathomorphology
Authors
Monika Ciupińska-Kajor
Jacek Ziaja
Maciej Kajor
Robert Król
Zuzanna Dobrosz
Piotr Konicki
Kornelia Hasse-Lazar
Teresa Gasińska
Lech Cierpka