A PATIENT WITH PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA AND HYPERALDOSTERONISM - DUAL CORTICOMEDULLARY TUMOR

BACKGROUND: Pheochromocytoma and primary hyperaldosteronism rarely ocu r simultaneously. Few cases have been reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: A patient explored for hypertension was found to have hypokal iemia related to primary hyperaldosteronism. Pathology examination of the ablated adrenal showed a coexisting pheochromocytoma sus pected at history taking although urine catecholamines were normal. DISCUSSION: Different pathogenic hypothesis have been proposed. Such dual tumors could be a simple coincidence, occur in a particular genetic setting, be related to direct contact between cortical and medullary tissue lea ding to reactional cortical hyperplasia, pheochromocytoma produced fac tors stimulating aldosterone synthesis, or factor X, a substance produ ced by cortical adenomas and favoring growth of the pheochromocytoma.