313 Importance of Surgical Approach and Resection Status on Outcomes of Patients with Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC)

Aim

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with overall poor prognosis. We aimed to examine the relationship between tumour resection margins (R0/R1), surgical approach (laparoscopic vs. open) and clinical outcomes in our practice.

Method

We conducted a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with histology-proven ACC (01/2015–12/2020) who proceeded to surgery and were followed up at Addenbrooke’s hospital (n = 24). We examined overall and progression-free survival (PFS) censored at date of death or at last follow-up.

Results

Patients had a median(SD) age at presentation of 58.5(11.0), were female in 62.5%; median(SD) length of follow-up was 29(20.1) months. The tumour histology was oncocytic variant in 50% of cases. R0 resection was achieved in 16/23 cases and was associated with better PFS [median(SD): 28.5(19.3) months for R0 vs. 8(25.0) for R1] and overall survival [median(SD): 33(18.4) months for R0 vs. 29(22.6) for R1]. 15/16 and 1/7 patients with R0 and R1 resection respectively were alive at end of follow-up. R1 resection status and survival were associated with ENSAT stage (85.7% stage III-IV for R1 vs. 25.1% for R0) although tumour size was not significantly different. A greater proportion of R1 patients (57.1%) had laparoscopic surgery (3 of those had tumour size>6cm) than R0 patients (25%). Outcomes for oncocytic ACC tumours were not different.

Conclusions

R0 resection is of paramount importance for ACC outcomes. Careful pre-operative work-up of indeterminate adrenal lesions to raise suspicion for ACC and consideration of open surgery for large tumours may help improve outcomes.

Rapid disease progression in a patient with mismatch repair-deficient and cortisol secreting adrenocortical carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab

CONTEXT

Metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. A subset of ACC is due to Lynch syndrome, an inherited tumor syndrome resulting from germline mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) genes. It has been demonstrated that several cancers characterized by MMR deficiency are sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors that target PD-1. Here, we provide the first report of PD-1 blockade with pembrolizumab in a patient with Lynch syndrome and progressive cortisol-secreting metastatic ACC.

CASE REPORT

A 58-year-old female with known Lynch syndrome presented with severe Cushing's syndrome and was diagnosed with a cortisol-secreting ACC. Three months following surgical resection and adjuvant mitotane therapy the patient developed metastatic disease and persistent hypercortisolemia. She commenced pembrolizumab, but her second cycle was delayed due to a transient transaminitis. Computed tomography performed after 12 weeks and 2 cycles of pembrolizumab administration revealed significant disease progression and treatment was discontinued. After 7 weeks, the patient became jaundiced and soon died due to fulminant liver failure.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of MMR-deficient cortisol-secreting ACC with pembrolizumab may be ineffective due to supraphysiological levels of circulating corticosteroids, which may in turn mask severe drug-induced organ damage.

Management of an acute catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy and circulatory collapse: a multidisciplinary approach

A phaeochromocytoma (PC) is a rare, catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumour arising from the adrenal medulla. Presenting symptoms of this rare tumour are highly variable but life-threatening multiorgan dysfunction can occur secondary to catecholamine-induced hypertension or hypotension and subsequent cardiovascular collapse. High levels of circulating catecholamines can induce an acute stress cardiomyopathy, also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Recent studies have focused on early diagnosis and estimation of the prevalence of acute stress cardiomyopathy in patients with PC, but very little is reported about management of these complex cases. Here, we report the case of a 38-year-old lady who presented with an acute Takotsubo or stress cardiomyopathy and catecholamine crisis, caused by an occult left-sided 5 cm PC. The initial presenting crisis manifested with symptoms of severe headache and abdominal pain, triggered by a respiratory tract infection. On admission to hospital, the patient rapidly deteriorated, developing respiratory failure, cardiogenic shock and subsequent cardiovascular collapse due to further exacerbation of the catecholamine crisis caused by a combination of opiates and intravenous corticosteroid. An echocardiogram revealed left ventricular apical hypokinesia and ballooning, with an estimated left ventricular ejection fraction of 10–15%. Herein, we outline the early stabilisation period, preoperative optimisation and intraoperative management, providing anecdotal guidance for the management of this rare life-threatening complication of PC.

Phase I study comparing continuous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 by subcutaneous or intravenous administration

22 cancer patients entered a randomised phase Ib trial comparing the effects of low-dose recombinant interleukin-2 (300 micrograms/m2, approximately equivalent to 6.4 x 10(6) cetus units or 38 x 10(6) U per day) given continuously by intravenous or subcutaneous infusion. At 48 h after two 5-day courses, median lymphocyte levels (x 10(9)/l) were 6.0 (387% increase) in the subcutaneous arm (n = 9) and 5.9 (369% increase) in the intravenous arm (n = 8). Liver and renal toxicity were similar in the two groups. One minor response lasting 4 months occurred in 12 renal cancer/melanoma patients receiving subcutaneous treatment and one durable complete remission continuing at 30 months and one minor response lasting 10 months occurred in 6 renal cancer/melanoma patients receiving intravenous treatment.