Adrenal cortical tumors clinically mimicking pheochromocytoma.

The authors report five patients with adrenal cortical tumors in whom the preoperative diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was made. All patients had biochemical evidence of elevated catecholamine secretion in serum or urine. Clinically, two patients presented with symptoms suggestive of pheochromocytoma, and one patient had systemic hypertension that resolved following surgical excision of the tumor.

Human relaxins in normal, benign and neoplastic breast tissue.

Immunoreactive relaxin is present in human breast cyst fluid and postpartum milk without concurrent detectable serum levels, suggesting that the breast is a site of relaxin synthesis. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to human relaxin H2 have been used to immunolocalize relaxins in normal, benign and neoplastic breast tissues with the avidin-biotin immunostaining technique. In view of the similarities in amino acid sequence between H1 and H2 relaxins, these antibodies to H2 relaxin are likely to detect either or both relaxins present in tissue sections.

Stimulation of vasoactive intestinal peptide and neurotensin secretion by pentagastrin in a patient with VIPoma syndrome.

Background: Pancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) may secrete a variety of peptide hormones, either alone or in combination, and intravenously administered provocative agents have been used to stimulate hormone release to aid in the diagnosis and localization in suspected cases. These features of PETs led us to perform detailed biochemical investigations and provocative testing in a 26-year-old man with a 5 cm vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-secreting tumor of the head of the pancreas.

Methods: Plasma hormone radioimmunoassays and immunohistochemical studies were performed for a panel of peptide hormones, including VIP, neurotensin, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP).

Immunohistochemistry as a predictor of clinical outcome in patients given postoperative radiation for subtotally resected pituitary adenomas.

There is general agreement that postoperative radiation therapy is beneficial for patients with subtotally resected pituitary adenomas. We have identified 41 such patients treated during a 20-year period who received postoperative irradiation for a pituitary adenoma. The usual dose was 5040 cGy in 28 fractions.

Estrogen-receptor protein in thyroid neoplasms. An immunohistochemical analysis of papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma, and follicular adenoma.

Epidemiologic features of well-differentiated thyroid tumors and experimental evidence suggest that female sex hormones may exert effects on this gland and its neoplasms. This possibility was addressed by investigating the expression of estrogen-receptor protein in 80 thyroid neoplasms. Patients with papillary carcinomas, follicular carcinomas, and follicular adenomas were selected from each of the following groups: (1) postpubertal-premenopausal women (who are associated with the most favorable prognosis and greatest incidence of these neoplasms); (2) postmenopausal women; and (3) men of various ages.