ReviewNeuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid) of the thymus associated with Cushing’s syndrome
Section snippets
Case reports
The first patient, a 33-year-old woman, was referred to the University Hospital of Geneva because of Cushing’s syndrome. Her symptoms had progressively worsened over the previous 2 years and were characterized by muscular weakness, fatigue, and mild leg edema. On physical examination, she presented with a moon face, acne, oily skin, and easy bruising. Laboratory values disclosed a serum adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) level of 15.9 pmol/L (reference range: 2.0 to 12.0 pmol/L) and a free urinary
Incidence
Ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors are rare neoplasms that were first described by Brown in 1928 [10]. These tumors occur primarily in the lung, but they have been observed in other organs such as the pancreas, esophagus, and stomach [11]. In the thymus, neuroendocrine carcinomas account for approximately 2% to 4% of all anterior mediastinal tumors, and they may be associated with Cushing’s syndrome or may form part of the multiple endocrine neoplasms type 1 syndrome 4, 12, 13. Neuroendocrine
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Cited by (64)
Thymic neuroendocrine tumours
2023, Diagnostic HistopathologyEctopic Cushing syndrome: Report of 9 cases
2018, Endocrinologia, Diabetes y NutricionSpinal Metastasis Resulting from Atypical Thymic Carcinoid: A Case Report
2018, World NeurosurgeryCitation Excerpt :In contrast to pulmonary carcinoid tumor, a thymic counterpart with Cushing's syndrome is rare.20 In their review of cases of thymic carcinoid associated with Cushing's syndrome published in the literature, de Perrot et al.3 found only 25 cases reported over a 30-year period.3 Therefore, more than one-third of patients are asymptomatic, with the tumor found incidentally on routine chest CT.15 In our case, the patient did not show any symptoms of endocrinopathy or carcinoid syndrome, which likely contributed to the late diagnosis.
Bronchial and Thymic Carcinoid Tumors
2016, Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North AmericaCitation Excerpt :Symptoms range according to disease extent, from cough, dyspnea, and chest pain to SVC syndrome and hoarseness, secondary to invasion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.28–32 Almost 50% of tumors are complicated by a paraneoplastic endocrinopathy, most commonly Cushing’s syndrome (see Table 2).33,34 Biopsy is necessary for tissue confirmation of carcinoids.
Thymic neuroendocrine carcinoma producing ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone and Cushing's syndrome
2013, Annals of Thoracic SurgeryThymic Carcinoid Associated With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome Type I
2013, Archivos de Bronconeumologia