Hemangioblastoma (HB) is a rare benign tumor that most commonly occurs in the cerebellum. HB is composed of neoplastic stromal cells and abundant small vessels. However, the exact origin of stromal cells is controversial. Extraneural HBs have been reported in a small series, and peripheral HBs arising in the adrenal gland are extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of sporadic adrenal HB in a 54-year-old woman. The tumor was a well-circumscribed, yellow mass measuring 4.2 cm in diameter. Histologically, the tumor was composed of small blood vessels and vacuolated stromal cells with clear cytoplasm. On immunohistochemical stain, the stromal cells were positive for S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, and synaptophysin. The tumor did not reveal mutation of VHL alleles. We herein present a case of HB of the adrenal gland and review of the literature.
Background Primary adrenal (PA) diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was previously reported as an aggressive subset of DLBCL, but its genetic features were not sufficiently characterized. From our previous study of DLBCL with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) gene alterations, we focused on PD-L1 gene alterations in PA-DLBCL with clinicopathologic implications.
Methods We performed fluorescence in situ hybridization for PD-L1 gene translocation and amplification in PA-DLBCL (n = 18) and comparatively analyzed clinicopathologic characteristics with systemic non-adrenal (NA)-DLBCL (n = 90).
Results PA-DLBCL harbored distinctive features (vs. NADLBCL), including high international prognostic index score (3–5) (72% [13/18] vs. 38% [34/90], p = .007), poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (≥ 2) (47% [7/15] vs. 11% [10/90], p = .003), elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (78% [14/18] vs. 51% [44/87], p = .035) and MUM1 expression (87% [13/15] vs. 60% [54/90], p = .047). Moreover, PA-DLBCL showed frequent PD-L1 gene alterations (vs. NA-DLBCL) (39% [7/18] vs. 6% [5/86], p = .001), including translocation (22% [4/18] vs. 3% [3/87], p = .016) and amplification (17% [3/18] vs. 2% [2/87], p = .034). Within the PA-DLBCL group, PD-L1 gene–altered cases (vs. non-altered cases) tended to have B symptoms (p = .145) and elevated LDH (p = .119) but less frequent bulky disease (≥ 10 cm) (p = .119). In the survival analysis, PA-DLBCL had a poor prognosis for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (vs. NA-DLBCL; p = .014 and p = .004). Within the PA-DLBCL group, PD-L1 translocation was associated with shorter OS and PFS (p < .001 and p = .012).
Conclusions PA-DLBCL is a clinically aggressive and distinct subset of DLBCL with frequent PD-L1 gene alterations. PD-L1 gene translocation was associated with poor prognosis in PA-DLBCL.
Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) are predisposed to developing embryonal tumors, with hepatoblastoma being the most common type. Our patient showed hemihypertrophy, macroglossia, and paternal uniparental disomy in chromosome 11 and was diagnosed with BWS. When the patient was 9 months old, a 2.5×1.5 cm oval hypoechoic exophytic mass was detected in the inferior tip of his right liver. Preoperative imaging identified it as hepatoblastoma; however, histologic, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopic findings were compatible with adrenal cortical neoplasm with uncertain malignant potential. The origin of the adrenal tissue seemed to be heterotopic. Here, we describe for the first time an adrenal cortical neoplasm with uncertain malignant potential arising in the heterotopic adrenal cortex located in the liver of a patient with BWS.
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A teratoma is a germ-cell tumor composed of tissue components representing derivatives of three germ layers. A teratoma in the region of adrenal gland is a rare retroperitoneal tumor. We now report a case of a primary adrenal teratoma. A 38-year-old woman presented with an incidentally detected adrenal mass. The computed tomography scan revealed a 9x8x7.5 cm fat density mass with calcification in the left adrenal gland. The surgically resected tumor was round and well circumscribed and the adrenal gland was present at the periphery of the tumor. The cut surface contained fat tissue and a hair containing cyst.
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Composite pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma of the adrenal gland is a well-recognized, yet extremely rare tumor with only one case reported in Korea. We report a case of incidentally found composite pheochromocytoma and ganglioneuroma of the adrenal gland in a 44-year-old female composed of intermingled components of pheochromocytom, ganglioneuroma, and cells with intermediate features. On immunohistochemical staining, the pheochromocytoma component was positive for synaptophysin and chromogranin, but negative for S-100 protein. Staining for the S-100 protein revealed sustentacular cells which formed a peripheral coat around the "Zellballen" and Schwann cells. The Fontana-Masson stain defined neuromelanin granules of ganglion cells and the ganglion cells expressed neural markers such as neurofilament proteins. Ultrastructural findings revealed pheochromocytes with a round or ovoid nucleus and occasionally prominent nucleolus containing numerous adrenaline and noradrenaline granules.
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Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) have rarely been reported to occur in the adrenal gland and all of the reported cases were associated with neurofibromatosis, pheochromocytoma or ganglioneuroma. We present here a case of MPNST in the bilateral adrenal glands without any history of neurofibromatosis or combined tumor.
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Adrenal cysts are rare lesion that usually present themselves as an incidental finding during surgery, or at the time of autopsy. The cysts are usually small, seldom exceeding 10cm in diameter, and are generally asymptomatic.
However, they present a difficult problem in differentiation between benign and malignant lesions of the adrenal gland.
In the differential diagnosis, other cystic lesions of the upper abdomen must also be considered, including hepatic, splenic, renal and pancreatic cysts. Herein we report a case of endothelial cyst of lymphangiomatous type of the adrenal gland which was detected in a 44-year-old male patient during a routine health examination by ultrasonography as a pancreatic pseudocyst. Gross examination revealed multiple separate but continuous cysts, measuring 10.6x8x7cm in dimension. Within the wall, compressed adrenal cortex was noted. Microscopically, fibrous wall containing hypertrophied smooth muscle lined by endothelial cells was also noted. We reviewed literatures of the adrenal cyst and report a case.
Adreno-hepatic fusion is rare condition defined as adhesion of the liver and right adrenal cortex with close intermingling of the respective parenchyme. It is suggested to be an aging phenomenon, because its incidence is much higher in older age group. Clinically it may pose a problem of operability of the organ involved. We report a case of incidentally found adreno-hepatic fusion in a 49 year old female patient with adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. The segementectomy of VIII segement of the liver was done due to a 6 4 cm sized metastatic nodule of adenocarcioma.
Pathological examination of the liver revealed an ovoid shaped, 1 0.5 cm sized adrenal cortical tissue. It was subcapsularly located and about 1cm apart from the metastatic adenocarcinoma with an intervening normal hepatic tissue. The adrenal tissue was mainly composed of zona fasciculata without medullary tissue. In the interphase, the adrenal tissue and liver tissue were admixed closely and partially septated by thin fibrous tissue. There was no inflammatory response to the heterotropically located adrenal tissue and there was no symptom related to the adrenal gland.
Primary mesenchymal neoplasm of the adrenal gland is very rare. Recently we experienced a case of leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal gland in a 47-year-old female patient. The resected adrenal gland showed a large lobulated mass, which replaced the entire gland. The cut surface was firm and whitish gray with foci that showed hemorrhage and necrosis.
Histologically, the tumor was composed of intersecting fascicles of pleomorphic spindle cells with numerous giant cells and mitotic figures. Some of the tumor cells showed elongated nuclei. Immunohistochemical studies were strongly positive for vimentin and smooth muscle actin. Cytokeratin, desmin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and lysozyme were all negative.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea.
Retroperitoneum is often the site of occurrence of schwannoma, but reports on schwanoma of the adrenal gland is exceptional and only 4 cases have been documented in the literature. This report is to add one such case occurred in a 53 year-old male who had anorexia, nausea and indigestion for one month. Whole body bone scan and abdominal CT scan revealed a 10 cm sized solid mass at upper pole of the left kidney. Under the impression of renal cell carcinoma, an operation was performed. The tumor was well encapsulated and appeared not to involve the kidney. The cut surfaces were light yellow and seemed to be composed of several hard lobules with areas of mucoid, cystic and calcific changes.
No adrenal gland was identified grossly. But microscopically, the tumor was found to be partly surrounded by a small portion of adrenal cortical tissue.
Histologically the tumor was a typical schwannoma with Verocay bodies, although modified in some extents by mucoid degeneration, cystic change, hyaline change and focal calcification. It is worthwhile to remember that the retroperitoneal schwannoma commonly had a huge size, sometimes involving the adjacent structures.
Black adenoma is known to be a rare variant of adrenal cortical adenoma containing characteristic abundant lipofuscin pigments in the cytoplasm. Almost all of them are nonfunctioning and only occasionally they are associated with Cushing's syndrome or primary hyperaldosteronism. We present two cases of black cortical adenoma of the adrenal gland associated with Cushing's syndrome in a 24-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man. This report dealt with clinical and pathologic presentation including ultrastructural identification of lipofuscin pigment.