Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm

Background: Adrenocortical tumors are rare neoplasms of childhood; most of which are functional in childhood, producing excess hormones. Virilization, precocious puberty, and Cushing's syndrome are common presenting features. Clinical Description: A 6-year-8-month-old girl presented with featur...

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Main Authors: N Nanda, Kirandeep Kaur, Kavita Kadian, Kalyani Sridharan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Indian Pediatrics Case Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ipcares.org/article.asp?issn=2772-5170;year=2023;volume=3;issue=3;spage=174;epage=178;aulast=Nanda
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author N Nanda
Kirandeep Kaur
Kavita Kadian
Kalyani Sridharan
author_facet N Nanda
Kirandeep Kaur
Kavita Kadian
Kalyani Sridharan
author_sort N Nanda
collection DOAJ
description Background: Adrenocortical tumors are rare neoplasms of childhood; most of which are functional in childhood, producing excess hormones. Virilization, precocious puberty, and Cushing's syndrome are common presenting features. Clinical Description: A 6-year-8-month-old girl presented with features of virilization, which started appearing at 2 ½ years of age. The mother gave a history of progressive enlargement of the clitoris with the development of pubic, axillary, and facial hair over the years. There was no history of perinatal complications, features of adrenal insufficiency, atypical external genitalia at birth, or family history of malignancy. On examination, she had features of heterosexual peripheral precocious puberty. The hormonal investigation was suggestive of cortisol and androgen excess. Radiologically, she had an adrenal tumor appearing like adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)-large size, high noncontrast Hounsfield units, and poor washout. Management and Outcome: As virilization was not present since birth and there was no evidence of adrenal insufficiency, therefore, the possibility of congenital adrenal hyperplasia was unlikely. Investigations revealed that the testosterone levels were much higher than other adrenal androgen precursors like dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. This was a clinical clue to the well-differentiated and benign nature of the tumor although radiologically it appeared like ACC. The child underwent en bloc resection of the mass, and histopathology was suggestive of a benign adrenocortical adenoma. Seven days after surgery, the serum testosterone had dropped substantially. Conclusion: This case creates awareness about the possibility of an adrenocortical neoplasm in a child with early-onset virilization, which can be diagnosed correctly by following a step-wise, logical sequence of investigations.
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spelling doaj.art-0dd986da137e4a698bbe30e54bf846162024-03-25T15:39:50ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Pediatrics Case Reports2772-51702772-51892023-01-013317417810.4103/ipcares.ipcares_90_23Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasmN NandaKirandeep KaurKavita KadianKalyani SridharanBackground: Adrenocortical tumors are rare neoplasms of childhood; most of which are functional in childhood, producing excess hormones. Virilization, precocious puberty, and Cushing's syndrome are common presenting features. Clinical Description: A 6-year-8-month-old girl presented with features of virilization, which started appearing at 2 ½ years of age. The mother gave a history of progressive enlargement of the clitoris with the development of pubic, axillary, and facial hair over the years. There was no history of perinatal complications, features of adrenal insufficiency, atypical external genitalia at birth, or family history of malignancy. On examination, she had features of heterosexual peripheral precocious puberty. The hormonal investigation was suggestive of cortisol and androgen excess. Radiologically, she had an adrenal tumor appearing like adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)-large size, high noncontrast Hounsfield units, and poor washout. Management and Outcome: As virilization was not present since birth and there was no evidence of adrenal insufficiency, therefore, the possibility of congenital adrenal hyperplasia was unlikely. Investigations revealed that the testosterone levels were much higher than other adrenal androgen precursors like dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. This was a clinical clue to the well-differentiated and benign nature of the tumor although radiologically it appeared like ACC. The child underwent en bloc resection of the mass, and histopathology was suggestive of a benign adrenocortical adenoma. Seven days after surgery, the serum testosterone had dropped substantially. Conclusion: This case creates awareness about the possibility of an adrenocortical neoplasm in a child with early-onset virilization, which can be diagnosed correctly by following a step-wise, logical sequence of investigations.http://www.ipcares.org/article.asp?issn=2772-5170;year=2023;volume=3;issue=3;spage=174;epage=178;aulast=Nandaadrenocortical carcinomacongenital adrenal hyperplasiawieneke criteria
spellingShingle N Nanda
Kirandeep Kaur
Kavita Kadian
Kalyani Sridharan
Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
Indian Pediatrics Case Reports
adrenocortical carcinoma
congenital adrenal hyperplasia
wieneke criteria
title Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
title_full Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
title_fullStr Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
title_full_unstemmed Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
title_short Early-onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
title_sort early onset virilization may rarely be due to an adrenocortical neoplasm
topic adrenocortical carcinoma
congenital adrenal hyperplasia
wieneke criteria
url http://www.ipcares.org/article.asp?issn=2772-5170;year=2023;volume=3;issue=3;spage=174;epage=178;aulast=Nanda
work_keys_str_mv AT nnanda earlyonsetvirilizationmayrarelybeduetoanadrenocorticalneoplasm
AT kirandeepkaur earlyonsetvirilizationmayrarelybeduetoanadrenocorticalneoplasm
AT kavitakadian earlyonsetvirilizationmayrarelybeduetoanadrenocorticalneoplasm
AT kalyanisridharan earlyonsetvirilizationmayrarelybeduetoanadrenocorticalneoplasm