Benign desoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal tumor

Abstract

A woman with a benign tumor of the left adrenal cortex had a 6 yr history of hypertension. Serum K level and plasma renin activity were low. Plasma aldosterone and cortisol levels were low normal, and plasma deoxycorticosterone (DOC) level was high. 131I-labeled cholesterol accumulated in the tumor in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. At laparotomy, a benign adrenal tumor was excised. The blood pressure and plasma DOC levels returned to normal. This is the 1st case of a benign DOC-producing adrenal tumor.