Recurrence of giant adrenocortical carcinoma in the contralateral adrenal gland 6 years after surgery: Report of a case

We report herein the case of a patient in whom a giant adrenocortical carci noma was found to have recurred in the contralateral adrenal gland and intr apelvic cavity 6 years after his initial operation. A 52-year-old man had c onsulted our hospital complaining of right upper abdominal pain and weight loss, and was subsequently diagnosed as having a giant adrenal tumor by com puted tomography scans and echography. A laparotomy was performed and the t umor, located in the Fight retroperitoneal cavity and infiltrating the live r and right kidney, was surgically removed. The lesion, 29 x 19 x 10 cm in size and 4700 g in weight, was histopathologically diagnosed as an adrenoco rtical carcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy with mitotane was given for 3 month s and his postoperative course was uneventful until a recurrence in the con tralateral adrenal gland and peritoneal cavity was found 6 years later. The second resection was successful, and he is currently alive with no further sign of recurrence 8 years after his first operation, We report this unusu al case as it provides much useful information on the biological features o f adrenocortical carcinomas and the state of tumor dormancy.