High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report

Ectopic ACTH-secretion causing Cushing's syndrome is unusual and its diagnosis is frequently challenging. The presence of high-molecular-weight precursors throughout pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) translation by these tumors is often not reported. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a...

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Main Authors: Mehta, Roopa, Lam Chung, César Ernesto, Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel, Roldán Sarmiento, Paola, Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda, Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine, Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo, León Domínguez, Jefsi, Grajales Gómez, Mariana, Ventura Gallegos, José Luis, León Suárez, Andrés, Gómez Pérez, Francisco J., Cuevas Ramos, Daniel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Research Foundation 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.uanl.mx/23336/1/23336.pdf
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author Mehta, Roopa
Lam Chung, César Ernesto
Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel
Roldán Sarmiento, Paola
Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda
Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine
Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo
León Domínguez, Jefsi
Grajales Gómez, Mariana
Ventura Gallegos, José Luis
León Suárez, Andrés
Gómez Pérez, Francisco J.
Cuevas Ramos, Daniel
author_facet Mehta, Roopa
Lam Chung, César Ernesto
Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel
Roldán Sarmiento, Paola
Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda
Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine
Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo
León Domínguez, Jefsi
Grajales Gómez, Mariana
Ventura Gallegos, José Luis
León Suárez, Andrés
Gómez Pérez, Francisco J.
Cuevas Ramos, Daniel
author_sort Mehta, Roopa
collection Repositorio Institucional
description Ectopic ACTH-secretion causing Cushing's syndrome is unusual and its diagnosis is frequently challenging. The presence of high-molecular-weight precursors throughout pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) translation by these tumors is often not reported. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a 3-month history of proximal muscular weakness, skin pigmentation, and weight loss. Upon initial evaluation, she had a full moon face, hirsutism, and a buffalo hump. Laboratory workup showed hyperglycemia, hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. ACTH, plasma cortisol, and urinary free cortisol levels were quite elevated. Serum cortisol levels were not suppressed on dexamethasone suppression testing. An octreo-SPECT scan showed enhanced nucleotide uptake in the liver and pancreas. Transendoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a pancreatic ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine tumor (NET). Surgical excision of both pancreatic and liver lesions was carried out. Western blot analysis of the tumor and metastases revealed the presence of a high-molecular-weight precursor possibly POMC (at 30 kDa) but not ACTH (normally 4.5 kDa). ACTH-precursor secretion is more frequent in ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors compared with other causes of Cushing's syndrome. Hence, the measurement of such ACTH precursors warrants further evaluation, especially in the context of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism.
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spelling eprints-233362022-06-02T20:28:46Z http://eprints.uanl.mx/23336/ High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report Mehta, Roopa Lam Chung, César Ernesto Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel Roldán Sarmiento, Paola Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo León Domínguez, Jefsi Grajales Gómez, Mariana Ventura Gallegos, José Luis León Suárez, Andrés Gómez Pérez, Francisco J. Cuevas Ramos, Daniel RC Medicina Interna, Psiquiatría, Neurología Ectopic ACTH-secretion causing Cushing's syndrome is unusual and its diagnosis is frequently challenging. The presence of high-molecular-weight precursors throughout pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) translation by these tumors is often not reported. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a 3-month history of proximal muscular weakness, skin pigmentation, and weight loss. Upon initial evaluation, she had a full moon face, hirsutism, and a buffalo hump. Laboratory workup showed hyperglycemia, hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. ACTH, plasma cortisol, and urinary free cortisol levels were quite elevated. Serum cortisol levels were not suppressed on dexamethasone suppression testing. An octreo-SPECT scan showed enhanced nucleotide uptake in the liver and pancreas. Transendoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a pancreatic ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine tumor (NET). Surgical excision of both pancreatic and liver lesions was carried out. Western blot analysis of the tumor and metastases revealed the presence of a high-molecular-weight precursor possibly POMC (at 30 kDa) but not ACTH (normally 4.5 kDa). ACTH-precursor secretion is more frequent in ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors compared with other causes of Cushing's syndrome. Hence, the measurement of such ACTH precursors warrants further evaluation, especially in the context of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism. Frontiers Research Foundation 2020 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd http://eprints.uanl.mx/23336/1/23336.pdf http://eprints.uanl.mx/23336/1.haspreviewThumbnailVersion/23336.pdf Mehta, Roopa y Lam Chung, César Ernesto y Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel y Roldán Sarmiento, Paola y Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda y Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine y Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo y León Domínguez, Jefsi y Grajales Gómez, Mariana y Ventura Gallegos, José Luis y León Suárez, Andrés y Gómez Pérez, Francisco J. y Cuevas Ramos, Daniel (2020) High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11. pp. 1-8. ISSN 1664-2392 http://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00557 doi:10.3389/fendo.2020.00557
spellingShingle RC Medicina Interna, Psiquiatría, Neurología
Mehta, Roopa
Lam Chung, César Ernesto
Hinojosa Amaya, José Miguel
Roldán Sarmiento, Paola
Guillen Placencia, María Fernanda
Villanueva Rodríguez, Gerladine
Juárez León, Oscar Alfredo
León Domínguez, Jefsi
Grajales Gómez, Mariana
Ventura Gallegos, José Luis
León Suárez, Andrés
Gómez Pérez, Francisco J.
Cuevas Ramos, Daniel
High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
thumbnail https://rediab.uanl.mx/themes/sandal5/images/online.png
title High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
title_full High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
title_fullStr High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
title_full_unstemmed High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
title_short High Molecular Weight ACTH-Precursor Presence in a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Causing Severe Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome: A Case Report
title_sort high molecular weight acth precursor presence in a metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor causing severe ectopic cushing s syndrome a case report
topic RC Medicina Interna, Psiquiatría, Neurología
url http://eprints.uanl.mx/23336/1/23336.pdf
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