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Ectopic Cushing’s syndrome |
| Definition: |
| A condition caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting tumor outside the pituitary or adrenal glands. |
| Alternative Names: |
| Cushing's syndrome - ectopic |
| Causes, incidence, and risk factors: |
Cushing's syndrome is due to excess glucocorticoid hormones being secreted over a long period of time. About 15% of cases of Cushing's syndrome are due to ectopic Cushing's syndrome. Ectopic Cushing's syndrome is caused by tumors that secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Other causes of Cushing's syndrome are oversecretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland, a tumor of the adrenal gland, or chronic administration of corticosteroid drugs commonly used to treat conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Small cell tumors of the lung, thymomas (tumors of the thymus), islet cell tumors of the pancreas, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, and pheochromocytoma are tumors that can secrete ACTH, although this occurs rarely. |
Reviewed By: Stephanie Fish, M.D., Division of Endocrinology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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