Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an orphan cancer with 35% five-year survival that has been unchanged for last five decades. Patients often present with severe hypercortisolism or with mass effects. The only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug for ACC is mitotane, an insecticide derivative, which provides only limited additional months of survival, but with toxicities. Little progress in the field has occurred due to a lack of preclinical models. We recently developed new human ACC in vitro and in vivo research models. We produced the first two new ACC cell lines for the field, CU-ACC1 and CU-ACC2, which we have distributed for global collaborations. In addition, we developed 10 ACC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and two humanized ACC-PDX models to test new therapeutics and examine the mechanism of mitotane action in combination with immunotherapy. These new preclinical models allow us to identify novel targets and test new therapeutics for our patients with adrenal cancer.

Mitotane (o,p\'-DDD) is the drug of choice for Adrenocortical Carcinomas (ACC) and its measurement in plasma is essential to control drug administration.
To develop and validate a simple, reliable and straightforward method for mitotane determination in plasma samples.
Drug-free plasma samples were collected in potassium-ethylenediamine tetraacetate (K-EDTA) tubes and spiked with 1.0, 2.5, 10.0, 25.0 and 50.0 µg/mL of mitotane (DDD). The p,p\'-DDD was used as an Internal Standard (IS) and was added at 25.0 µg/mL concentration to all samples, standards and controls. Samples were submitted to protein precipitation with acetonitrile and then centrifuged. 50 uL of the supernatant was injected into an HPLC system coupled to a Diode Array Detector (DAD). DDD and IS were detected at 230 nm in a 12 min isocratic mode with a solvent mixture of 60 % acetonitrile and 40 % formic acid in water with 0.1 % pump mixed, at 0.6 mL/min flow rate, in a reversed-phase (C18) chromatographic column kept at 28°C. The sensitivity, selectivity, precision, presence of carry-over, recovery and matrix-effect, linearity, and method accuracy were evaluated.
The present study\'s method resulted in a symmetrical peak shape and good baseline resolution for DDD (mitotane) and 4,4\'-DDD (internal standard) with retention times of 6.0 min, 6.4 mim, respectively, with resolutions higher than 1.0. Endogenous plasma compounds did not interfere with the evaluated peaks when blank plasma and spiked plasma with standards were compared. Linearity was assessed over the range of 1.00-50.00 µg/mL for mitotane (R2 > 0.9987 and a 97.80 %‒105.50 % of extraction efficiency). Analytical sensitivity was 0.98 µg/mL. Functional sensitivity (LOQ) was 1.00 µg/L, intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variations were less than 9.98 %, and carry-over was not observed for this method. Recovery ranged from 98.00 % to 117.00 %, linearity ranged from 95.00 % to 119.00 %, and high accuracy of 89.40 % to 105.90 % with no matrix effects or interference was observed for mitotane measurements. Patients\' sample results were compared with previous measurements by the GC-MS method with a high correlation (r = 0.88 and bias = -10.20 %).
DDD determination in plasma samples by the developed and validated method is simple, robust, efficient, and sensitive for therapeutic drug monitoring and dose management to achieve a therapeutic index of mitotane in patients with adrenocortical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Mitotane (Lysodren, o,p\'-DDD [1-(o-chlorophenyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethane)] is currently the only United States Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency-approved product for the treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma.
METHODS: Mitotane is challenging to administer; however, its toxicities (specifically adrenal insufficiency) are well known, and the management of adverse consequences has established approaches. While often viewed through the prism of a cytotoxic agent, it can also interfere with hormone production making it a valuable asset in managing functional ACC. A recently completed prospective trial has shed some light on its use in the adjuvant setting, but further clarity is needed. Many think mitotane has a role in the advanced or metastatic setting, although prospective data are lacking and retrospective analyses are often difficult to interpret.
CONCLUSIONS: When used carefully and thoughtfully, especially in patients with hormonal excess, mitotane is an important component of the treatment armamentarium for ACC.

BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is rare and an aggressive tumour. Mitotane is the mainstay adjuvant drug in treating ACC. The study aimed to describe patients diagnosed with precocious puberty (PP) and other endocrinological complications during mitotane therapy.
METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 4 patients with ACC treated with mitotane therapy complicated by PP. We analysed clinical manifestations, radiological, histopathological findings, and hormonal results.
RESULTS: The median age at the diagnosis of ACC was 1.5 years. All patients were treated with surgery and mitotane, accompanied by chemotherapy regimens in 2 cases. The median time from surgery to the initiation of mitotane therapy was 26 days. During mitotane treatment, PP was confirmed based on symptoms, and hormonal and imaging tests. In one patient, incomplete peripheral PP was followed by central PP. The median time from the therapy initiation to the first manifestations of PP was 4 months. Additionally, due to mitotane-induced adrenal insufficiency, patients required a supraphysiological dose of hydrocortisone (HC), and in one patient, mineralocorticoid (MC) replacement with fludrocortisone was necessary. In 2 patients, hypothyroidism was diagnosed. All patients presented neurological symptoms of varying expression, which were more severe in younger children.
CONCLUSIONS: The side effects of using mitotane should be recognized quickly and adequately treated. In prepubertal children, PP could be a complication of therapy. The need to use supraphysiological doses of HC, sometimes with MC, should be highlighted. Some patients require levothyroxine replacement therapy. The neurotoxicity of mitotane is a significant clinical problem.
UNASSIGNED: Rak kory nadnerczy (ACC) jest rzadkim i agresywnym nowotworem. Mitotan jest podstawowym lekiem w terapii uzupełniającej ACC. Celem pracy była ocena pacjentów z rozpoznaniem przedwczesnego dojrzewania płciowego (PP) oraz innych powikłań endokrynologicznych w trakcie leczenia mitotanem.
UNASSIGNED: Do retrospektywnego badania włączono 4 pacjentów, u których w trakcie terapii mitotanem zdiagnozowano PP. W pracy przeanalizowano objawy kliniczne, wyniki badań endokrynologicznych radiologicznych i histopatologicznych.
UNASSIGNED: Mediana wieku w momencie rozpoznania ACC wynosiła 1,5 roku. Wszyscy pacjenci byli leczeni operacyjnie z następową terapią mitotanem, w dwóch przypadkach zastosowano również chemioterapię. Mediana czasu od operacji do rozpoczęcia leczenia mitotanem wyniosła 26 dni. Podczas terapii PP potwierdzono na podstawie objawów, badań hormonalnych i obrazowych. U jednego pacjenta po niepełnym obwodowym PP wystąpiło centralne PP. Mediana czasu od rozpoczęcia terapii do wystąpienia pierwszych objawów PP wyniosła 4 miesiące. Dodatkowo, z powodu niedoczynności kory nadnerczy wywołanej mitotanem, chorzy wymagali ponad fizjologicznych dawek hydrokortyzonu (HC), a u jednego pacjenta konieczna była suplementacja mineralokortykoidów (MC). U dwóch pacjentów rozpoznano niedoczynność tarczycy. Wszyscy pacjenci prezentowali objawy neurologiczne o różnym nasileniu, poważniejsze u młodszych dzieci.
UNASSIGNED: Skutki uboczne stosowania mitotanu powinny być szybko rozpoznane i odpowiednio leczone. U dzieci przed okresem dojrzewania PP może być powikłaniem terapii. Należy zwrócić uwagę na konieczność stosowania ponadfizjologicznych dawek HC, czasem z MC. Niektórzy pacjenci wymagają terapii substytucyjnej lewotyroksyną. Poza endokrynologicznymi objawami ubocznymi istotnym problemem klinicznym jest neurotoksyczność mitotanu.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumor originating in the adrenal cortex and characterized by poor 5-year survival. It occurs with a frequency of 2-4 cases per 2 million in the population. Women are more frequently affected than men and it is mostly detected in the fourth and fifth decades. In the most of cases, the cancerogenesis occurs sporadically because of gene driver mutations in somatic adrenocortical cells, in other cases it can be found as part of a genetically determined syndrome such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome or Wermer\'s syndrome (multiple endocrine adenomatosis type I). ACC most frequently happens occurs without symptoms in the initial stages leading to poor diagnoses. Because of this lack of early detection, the tumor is not considered malignant reducing the benefits of further treatment. Sometimes the fact that the resected tumor is indeed adrenocortical carcinoma becomes clear only after recurrence, or after the appearance of metastases. We present a case of adrenocortical carcinoma in a 46-year-old woman who went to the doctor in 1.5 year after symptoms were manfested. This clinical case illustrates the consequences of late diagnosis of a malignant tumor. We would like to emphasize the importance of timely detection of a neoplasm, using all of the potential of laboratory-instrumental and genomic analysis. Due to low oncological awareness, our patient was slow to seek medical help, which in turn led not only to metastases, but also to complications in the cardiovascular system.
Адренокортикальный рак (АКР) – редкая злокачественная опухоль коры надпочечников c распространенностью 0,5–2 случая на 1 млн населения, характеризующаяся неблагоприятным прогнозом, низкой 5-летней выживаемостью пациентов, поздним сроком выявления и агрессивностью клинического течения. Заболевание чаще встречается среди женщин (1,5:1 или 55–60%), средний возраст на момент постановки диагноза – 40–50 лет. Клинические проявления АКР в большинстве случаев отсутствуют, что является причиной поздней диагностики заболевания. В некоторых случаях АКР диагностируется при рецидиве заболевания после хирургического лечения гормонально-неактивной опухоли надпочечника или на этапе метастазирования. АКР может быть гормонально-активной опухолью, являясь причиной гиперкортицизма/вирильного синдрома и др. Канцерогенез АКР обусловлен как спонтанно возникающими мутациями в соматических клетках коры надпочечников, так и генетическими поломками в рамках того или иного наследственного синдрома, например Ли–Фраумени и Вермера (синдром множественных эндокринных неоплазий 1-го типа). В статье приведен клинический случай, иллюстрирующий последствия поздней диагностики АКР у женщины 46 лет, которая обратилась за медицинской помощью через 1,5 года после развития манифестных симптомов с клиникой вирильного синдрома в сочетании с артериальной гипертензией, инвазией левой почечной вены и распространением опухолевого тромба в просвет нижней полой вены по данным мультиспиральной компьютерной томографии. Данный клинический случай подчеркивает важность онконастороженности и своевременной диагностики АКР с помощью лабораторно-инструментальных и генетических методов.

UNASSIGNED: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive endocrine malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Treating advanced ACC with mitotane, the cornerstone therapy, remains challenging, thus underscoring the significance to predict mitotane response prior to treatment and seek other effective therapeutic strategies.
UNASSIGNED: We aimed to determine the efficacy of mitotane via an in vitro assay using patient-derived ACC cells (PDCs), identify molecular biomarkers associated with mitotane response and preliminarily explore potential agents for ACC.
UNASSIGNED: In vitro mitotane sensitivity testing was performed in 17 PDCs and high-throughput screening against 40 compounds was conducted in 8 PDCs. Genetic features were evaluated in 9 samples using exomic and transcriptomic sequencing.
UNASSIGNED: PDCs exhibited variable sensitivity to mitotane treatment. The median cell viability inhibition rate was 48.4% (IQR: 39.3-59.3%) and -1.2% (IQR: -26.4-22.1%) in responders (n=8) and non-responders (n=9), respectively. Median IC50 and AUC were remarkably lower in responders (IC50: 53.4 µM vs 74.7 µM, P<0.0001; AUC: 158.0 vs 213.5, P<0.0001). Genomic analysis revealed CTNNB1 somatic alterations were only found in responders (3/5) while ZNRF3 alterations only in non-responders (3/4). Transcriptomic profiling found pathways associated with lipid metabolism were upregulated in responder tumors whilst CYP27A1 and ABCA1 expression were positively correlated to in vitro mitotane sensitivity. Furthermore, pharmacologic analysis identified that compounds including disulfiram, niclosamide and bortezomib exhibited efficacy against PDCs.
UNASSIGNED: ACC PDCs could be useful for testing drug response, drug repurposing and guiding personalized therapies. Our results suggested response to mitotane might be associated with the dependency on lipid metabolism. CYP27A1 and ABCA1 expression could be predictive markers for mitotane response, and disulfiram, niclosamide and bortezomib could be potential therapeutics, both warranting further investigation.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a cancer predisposition syndrome associated with a high, lifetime risk of a broad spectrum of cancers caused by pathogenic germline TP53 mutations. Numerous different germline TP53 mutations have been associated with LFS, which has an exceptionally diverse clinical spectrum in terms of tumor type and age of onset. Our patient has developed six asynchronous tumors to date: a phyllode tumor of the breast, a pheochromocytoma, a rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor (RGNT), an adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a ductal carcinoma of the breast, and a thymoma. The occurrence of such a number of rare tumors is sporadic even among in the population of patients living with cancer predisposition syndromes. In this instance, the omission of pretest genetic counseling and thorough family tree analysis prior to selecting the test led to the oversight of an underlying TP53 likely pathogenic mutation (classified as Class 4). This emphasizes the necessity for such counseling to prevent overlooking crucial genetic information. Neglecting this step could have had profound implications on the patient\'s treatment, particularly considering the early onset and occurrence of multiple tumors, which typically raise suspicion of a hereditary component. The implications for family members must be considered.

暂无摘要。

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant tumour that originates from the adrenal cortex. It is a highly aggressive cancer characterised by a poor prognosis with an annual incidence estimated to be up to 2 cases per million. In the adult population, ACC is diagnosed typically between 40 and 50 years of age, more often in women. Complete surgical resection of the tumour is the primary treatment method for ACC. Unfortunately, despite properly performed adrenalectomy, regional recurrences or distant metastases are detected in up to 90% of the patients. For that reason, adjuvant therapy is recommended. Mitotane is the most effective adrenal-specific agent used in adjuvant and palliative therapy. Two menstruating patients, after adrenalectomy due to ACC, during adjuvant mitotane therapy, have been included in the study. The study aimed to assess the effect of mitotane therapy on the endometrium and its clinical consequences, based on the analysis of these two cases and a review of the literature. It seems that menorrhagia may be expected during adjuvant mitotane therapy of ACC in menstruating women. Heavy uterine bleeding during menstruation may appear several months after the beginning of therapy. The likely mechanism for heavy menstrual bleeding is complex. Menorrhagia can occur due to the toxic effect of mitotane in the form of a haemorrhagic diathesis, while long-term treatment (over ten months) can lead to relative hypoestrogenism resulting in endometrial hyperplasia. Clinical signs of hypoestrogenism during mitotane treatment, have been described (including pre-puberty girls) and should be considered as a side-effect of the therapy. Menorrhagia may lead to severe anaemia, so this should be considered when planning mitotane treatment. Continuous gestagen therapy is helpful in the treatment of the above disorders. After over 60 years of experience with mitotane usage, knowledge about it is still insufficient, and further studies are required.

BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare yet highly malignant tumor associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to delineate the clinical features, survival patterns, and treatment modalities of ACC, providing insights into the disease\'s prognosis.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 157 ACC patients was performed to assess treatment methodologies, demographic patterns, pathological and clinical attributes, and laboratory results. The data were extracted from the hospital\'s database. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, with univariate and multivariate analyses being performed through the log-rank test and Cox regression analyses.
RESULTS: The median age was 45, and 89.4% had symptoms at the time of diagnosis. The median tumor size was 12 cm. A total of 117 (79.6%) patients underwent surgery. A positive surgical border was detected in 26 (24.1%) patients. Adjuvant therapy was administered to 44.4% of patients. The median overall survival for the entire cohort was 44.3 months. Median OS was found to be 87.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 74.4-100.2) in stage 2, 25.8 (95% CI 6.5-45.1) months in stage 3, and 13.3 (95% CI 7.0-19.6) months in stage 4 disease. Cox regression analysis identified age, Ki67 value, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and hormonal activity as significant factors associated with survival in patients with nonmetastatic disease. In metastatic disease, only patients who underwent surgery exhibited significantly improved overall survival in univariate analyses.
CONCLUSIONS: ACC is an uncommon tumor with a generally poor prognosis. Understanding the defining prognostic factors in both localized and metastatic diseases is vital. This study underscores age, Ki67 value, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and hormonal activity as key prognostic determinants for localized disease, offering critical insights into the complexities of ACC management and potential avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.