Biomaterial Database

Chromophobe adenoma of the pituitary with Cushing's syndrome and skin pigmentation. 1979

N Sterling, and M R Hall

A 76-year-old man with pigmentation and Cushing's disease is described, who was found to have a large chromophobe adenoma of the pituitary. Despite normal skull X-rays the presence of bitemporal hemianopia led to the diagnosis which was later confirmed at post-mortem. Adrenalectomy performed in the treatment of Cushing's disease may be followed by skin pigmentation and an enlarging pituitary tumour (Nelson's syndrome), changes which are commonly attributed to the removal of the negative feed-back mechanism. The spontaneous occurrence of these changes in this patient who did not undergo adrenalectomy supports the view that a pituitary tumour pre-exists in cases of Nelson's syndrome and emphasizes the importance of directing initial treatment to the pituitary.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010859	Pigmentation Disorders	Diseases affecting PIGMENTATION, including SKIN PIGMENTATION.	Incontinentia Pigmenti Achromians,Ito Syndrome,Schamberg's Disease,Schamberg Disease,Disease, Schamberg,Disease, Schamberg's,Disorder, Pigmentation,Disorders, Pigmentation,Pigmentation Disorder,Schambergs Disease,Syndrome, Ito
D010911	Pituitary Neoplasms	Neoplasms which arise from or metastasize to the PITUITARY GLAND. The majority of pituitary neoplasms are adenomas, which are divided into non-secreting and secreting forms. Hormone producing forms are further classified by the type of hormone they secrete. Pituitary adenomas may also be characterized by their staining properties (see ADENOMA, BASOPHIL; ADENOMA, ACIDOPHIL; and ADENOMA, CHROMOPHOBE). Pituitary tumors may compress adjacent structures, including the HYPOTHALAMUS, several CRANIAL NERVES, and the OPTIC CHIASM. Chiasmal compression may result in bitemporal HEMIANOPSIA.	Pituitary Cancer,Cancer of Pituitary,Cancer of the Pituitary,Pituitary Adenoma,Pituitary Carcinoma,Pituitary Tumors,Adenoma, Pituitary,Adenomas, Pituitary,Cancer, Pituitary,Cancers, Pituitary,Carcinoma, Pituitary,Carcinomas, Pituitary,Neoplasm, Pituitary,Neoplasms, Pituitary,Pituitary Adenomas,Pituitary Cancers,Pituitary Carcinomas,Pituitary Neoplasm,Pituitary Tumor,Tumor, Pituitary,Tumors, Pituitary
D003480	Cushing Syndrome	A condition caused by prolonged exposure to excess levels of cortisol (HYDROCORTISONE) or other GLUCOCORTICOIDS from endogenous or exogenous sources. It is characterized by upper body OBESITY; OSTEOPOROSIS; HYPERTENSION; DIABETES MELLITUS; HIRSUTISM; AMENORRHEA; and excess body fluid. Endogenous Cushing syndrome or spontaneous hypercortisolism is divided into two groups, those due to an excess of ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN and those that are ACTH-independent.	Cushing's Syndrome,Hypercortisolism,Syndrome, Cushing,Syndrome, Cushing's
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000238	Adenoma, Chromophobe	A benign tumor of the anterior pituitary in which the cells do not stain with acidic or basic dyes.	Adenomas, Chromophobe,Chromophobe Adenoma,Chromophobe Adenomas
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly