The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy arising from the adrenal cortex often with unexpected biological behavior. It can occur at any age, with two peaks of incidence: in the first and between fifth and seventh decades of life. Although ACC are mostly hormonally active, precur...
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/2/174 |
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| author | Maja Mizdrak Tina Tičinović Kurir Joško Božić |
| author_facet | Maja Mizdrak Tina Tičinović Kurir Joško Božić |
| author_sort | Maja Mizdrak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy arising from the adrenal cortex often with unexpected biological behavior. It can occur at any age, with two peaks of incidence: in the first and between fifth and seventh decades of life. Although ACC are mostly hormonally active, precursors and metabolites, rather than end products of steroidogenesis are produced by dedifferentiated and immature malignant cells. Distinguishing the etiology of adrenal mass, between benign adenomas, which are quite frequent in general population, and malignant carcinomas with dismal prognosis is often unfeasible. Even after pathohistological analysis, diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinomas is not always straightforward and represents a great challenge for experienced and multidisciplinary expert teams. No single imaging method, hormonal work-up or immunohistochemical labelling can definitively prove the diagnosis of ACC. Over several decades’ great efforts have been made in finding novel reliable and available diagnostic and prognostic factors including steroid metabolome profiling or target gene identification. Despite these achievements, the 5-year mortality rate still accounts for approximately 75% to 90%, ACC is frequently diagnosed in advanced stages and therapeutic options are unfortunately limited. Therefore, imperative is to identify new biological markers that can predict patient prognosis and provide new therapeutic options. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:50:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0f4c661be1a4e4286c75f5cc001f5f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:50:12Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0f4c661be1a4e4286c75f5cc001f5f42023-12-03T13:11:16ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592021-02-019217410.3390/biomedicines9020174The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future PerspectivesMaja Mizdrak0Tina Tičinović Kurir1Joško Božić2Department of Nephrology and Hemodialysis, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, 21000 Split, CroatiaAdrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy arising from the adrenal cortex often with unexpected biological behavior. It can occur at any age, with two peaks of incidence: in the first and between fifth and seventh decades of life. Although ACC are mostly hormonally active, precursors and metabolites, rather than end products of steroidogenesis are produced by dedifferentiated and immature malignant cells. Distinguishing the etiology of adrenal mass, between benign adenomas, which are quite frequent in general population, and malignant carcinomas with dismal prognosis is often unfeasible. Even after pathohistological analysis, diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinomas is not always straightforward and represents a great challenge for experienced and multidisciplinary expert teams. No single imaging method, hormonal work-up or immunohistochemical labelling can definitively prove the diagnosis of ACC. Over several decades’ great efforts have been made in finding novel reliable and available diagnostic and prognostic factors including steroid metabolome profiling or target gene identification. Despite these achievements, the 5-year mortality rate still accounts for approximately 75% to 90%, ACC is frequently diagnosed in advanced stages and therapeutic options are unfortunately limited. Therefore, imperative is to identify new biological markers that can predict patient prognosis and provide new therapeutic options.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/2/174adrenocortical carcinomabiomarkerssteroidogenesispathophysiologyhormonessteroid profiling |
| spellingShingle | Maja Mizdrak Tina Tičinović Kurir Joško Božić The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives Biomedicines adrenocortical carcinoma biomarkers steroidogenesis pathophysiology hormones steroid profiling |
| title | The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives |
| title_full | The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives |
| title_short | The Role of Biomarkers in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives |
| title_sort | role of biomarkers in adrenocortical carcinoma a review of current evidence and future perspectives |
| topic | adrenocortical carcinoma biomarkers steroidogenesis pathophysiology hormones steroid profiling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/9/2/174 |
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