Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma with Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Syndrome

• Main Authors: Hong Seok Choi, Min Joo Kim, Chae Ho Moon, Jong Ho Yoon, Ha Ra Ku, Geon Wook Kang, Im Il Na, Seung-Sook Lee, Byung-Chul Lee, Young Joo Park, Hong Il Kim, Yun Hyi Ku
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academya Publishing Co. 2014-03-01
• Series: Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Subjects: Cushing syndrome; ACTH syndrome, ectopic; Medullary thyroid carcinoma
• Online Access: http://e-enm.org/Synapse/Data/PDFData/2008ENM/enm-29-96.pdf

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome is caused most frequently by a bronchial carcinoid tumor or by small cell lung cancer. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare etiology of ectopic ACTH syndrome. We describe a case of Cushing syndrome due to ectopic ACTH production from MTC in a 48-year-old male. He was diagnosed with MTC 14 years ago and underwent total thyroidectomy, cervical lymph node dissection and a series of metastasectomies. MTC was confirmed by the pathological examination of the thyroid and metastatic mediastinal lymph node tissues. Two years after his last surgery, he developed Cushingoid features, such as moon face and central obesity, accompanied by uncontrolled hypertension and new-onset diabetes. The laboratory results were compatible with ectopic ACTH syndrome. A bilateral adrenalectomy improved the clinical and laboratory findings that were associated with Cushing syndrome. This is the first confirmed case of ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by MTC in Korea.