Adrenocortical tumors in childhood: a report of four cases.

In the last 10 years, four children with adrenocortical tumors were treated in our hospital. Three of them had symptoms of adrenogenital virilizing syndrome, and another, nonfunctional, was found during a routine examination. A diagnosis of adrenocortical tumor was established given the symptoms, hormonal tests, and radiologic studies. Two of the tumors were located in the left side, and the histologic diagnosis was pleomorphic cortical adenoma; the ones that affected the right side were adenocarcinomas. All the patients were treated by surgery and none received chemotherapy. At both presurgical and postsurgical stages, the patients were treated with cortisol. All four children have had a favorable course, with normal growth and the disappearance of public hair and hirsutism; however, macrogenitals still persist.