Abstract
The study analyzed retrospectively the cases of functional cortical adrenal tumors in a pediatric population treated between 1970 and 1988 in our Hospital. Seventeen cases occurred during this period, 12 were females (70%). Seven cases presented as virilizing while the other 10 had Cushing Syndrome. The age of presentation ranged from 0.4 to 14 years, 10 cases occurred in less than 5 year-old patients, 2 cases in 5 to 10 year-old patients, while 5 were older than 10 years. Four girls with virilizing tumors developed central precocious puberty on follow-up. Fourteen cases with tumors weighing 100 gr or less had a clinical course before diagnosis from 1 to 19 months, one case with a 185 gr tumor had a clinical course of 12 months while two cases with tumors weighing more than 500 grs. had a clinical course before diagnosis of 3 and 6 months. Of these two patients one with metastasis at diagnosis died 5 months after surgery and the other developed a lung metastasis 1½ years after surgery. Twelve cases have been followed for 1 to 16 years with a benign clinical course. The histology had shown that criteria for malignancy as cytologic pleomorphism, mitoses, vascular and capsular invasion did not correlate with the clinical course. In summary, most of the patients present a benign course if associated to small size tumors (100 gr) that confirms other studies, however those patients with tumors heavier than 500 grs and a fast clinical course before diagnosis are more likely to have the worst prognosis.
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Bergada, I., Ciaccio, M., Maglio, S. et al. ADRENAL TUMORS IN INFANCY AND ADOLESCENCE. Pediatr Res 28, 423 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199010000-00047
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199010000-00047