Malignant pheochromocytoma with ACTH production.

An autopsy case of a 54-year-old woman with malignant pheochromocytoma and ectopic ACTH production was reported. Noradrenaline was increased in 24 hour urine and in the blood sample from the left adrenal vein. Hormone assay studies of the tumor tissue and plasma revealed abnormally high levels of ACTH. Formaldehyde fume induced fluorescence method demonstrated biogenic amine in the tumor cytoplasm. Electron microscopic examinations also disclosed numerous neurosecretory granules in the tumor cytoplasm. These findings confirmed that this pleomorphic carcinoma of the left adrenal gland was one of the APUDoma originating from the adrenal medulla, so-called pheochromocytoma.