Corticotroph cell pituitary adenoma within an ovarian teratoma. A new cause of Cushing's syndrome

Am J Surg Pathol. 1987 Mar;11(3):218-24. doi: 10.1097/00000478-198703000-00007.

Abstract

A 24-year-old woman with severe Cushing's syndrome was found to have corticotroph cell pituitary adenoma arising within a benign cystic ovarian teratoma. The patient manifested sustained hypercortisolemia and lack of suppression of either adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) or cortisol production. There was no evidence of a pituitary mass or secretion of other hormones. After careful clinical evaluation, no other tumor masses were found. Resection of the ovarian tumor led to normalization of ACTH and cortisol levels. Densely granulated corticotroph tumor cells with prominent Type I microfilaments and intracytoplasmic ACTH immunoreactivity characterized the neoplasm as a pituitary corticotroph cell adenoma. This is, to our knowledge, the first case reported of a functioning pituitary adenoma arising within a benign cystic teratoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • ACTH Syndrome, Ectopic / complications
  • ACTH Syndrome, Ectopic / pathology*
  • Adenoma / complications
  • Adenoma / pathology*
  • Adult
  • Cushing Syndrome / etiology*
  • Female
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / complications
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Teratoma / pathology*