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Original ArticleOpen Access
Adrenocortical Tumors in Children
Panamonta O 
,
Areemit S ,
Srinakarin J ,
Siritunyapom S ,
Tuksapun S
,
Areemit S ,
Srinakarin J ,
Siritunyapom S ,
Tuksapun S SUCHAT AREEMIT, M.D.**,
SARITHRON SIRITUNYAPORN, M.D.****,
Adrenocortical tumors are very rare in children. The records of seven patients
(four boys and three girls) who attended Srinagarind Hospital between January 1986 and
September 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Virilization and hypertension were found in four
patients, two of whom had untreated congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Hypertension or virilization
was the single manifestation found in two other patients. Only one patient showed clinical
symptoms of Cushing's syndrome and another nonfunctioning tumor in Down's syndrome.
Abdominal ultrasonography was helpful in locating the tumors. Unilateral tumors were
found in all of the patients and surgical exploration was done in six of them. Pathological
examination revealed four adrenocortical carcinomas, one adrenal gland hyperplasia and
one lipoma. The two patients in which the cancer metastasized to the liver and lungs died 1
and 1 1
/
2
months after diagnosis, respectively. The authors concluded that virilization and hyperten-
sion remain the primary diagnostic symptoms of adrenocortical tumors in children. Early detection
and adrenalectomies prolonged the survival time in these patients.
Key word : Adrenal Gland Tumor, Adrenocortical Carcinoma, Adrenocortical Tumor, Congenital
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Virilization, Hypertension, Cushing's Syndrome
SARITHRON SIRITUNYAPORN, M.D.****,
Adrenocortical tumors are very rare in children. The records of seven patients
(four boys and three girls) who attended Srinagarind Hospital between January 1986 and
September 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Virilization and hypertension were found in four
patients, two of whom had untreated congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Hypertension or virilization
was the single manifestation found in two other patients. Only one patient showed clinical
symptoms of Cushing's syndrome and another nonfunctioning tumor in Down's syndrome.
Abdominal ultrasonography was helpful in locating the tumors. Unilateral tumors were
found in all of the patients and surgical exploration was done in six of them. Pathological
examination revealed four adrenocortical carcinomas, one adrenal gland hyperplasia and
one lipoma. The two patients in which the cancer metastasized to the liver and lungs died 1
and 1 1
/
2
months after diagnosis, respectively. The authors concluded that virilization and hyperten-
sion remain the primary diagnostic symptoms of adrenocortical tumors in children. Early detection
and adrenalectomies prolonged the survival time in these patients.
Key word : Adrenal Gland Tumor, Adrenocortical Carcinoma, Adrenocortical Tumor, Congenital
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Virilization, Hypertension, Cushing's Syndrome
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