What lung cancer produces ACTH?

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which originated from neuroendocrine tissue, can develop into paraneoplastic endocrine syndromes, such as Cushing syndrome, because of an inappropriate secretion of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

Do lung tumors secrete ACTH?

In half of all Cushing’s patients, ectopic ACTH is produced by small lung cell carcinomas or lung carcinoids (a type of slow-growing lung cancer). But some tumors in the thymus and pancreas also have been found to produce ACTH.

Can Cushings cause lung cancer?

Answer: Small cell lung cancer can occasionally be a source of ectopic ACTH secretion causing Cushing’s syndrome. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be associated with tumor regression. The pro’s of chemotherapy is shrinkage of the tumor mass and suppression of ACTH secretion by the tumor.

Is ACTH secreting tumors a cause of Cushing syndrome?

Definition: Ectopic Cushing’s syndrome is a condition caused by an ACTH-secreting tumor outside the pituitary or adrenal glands. Causes, incidence, and risk factors: Cushing’s syndrome is the result of excess glucocorticoid hormones secreted over a long period of time.

What is the function of ACTH?

ACTH is a hormone made by the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. ACTH controls the production of another hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is made by the adrenal glands, two small glands located above the kidneys.

What increases ACTH?

The most common cause of increased ACTH production is a benign pituitary tumor. When this is present, the disorder is called Cushing disease. Other endocrine conditions that may lead to an increase of ACTH include adrenal insufficiency and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Which lung cancer is associated with hypercalcemia?

[1] Hypercalcemia is a very unusual complication of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) even in the presence of bone metastases.

Is Cushing’s cancer?

Pituitary adenomas cause most cases of Cushing’s syndrome. They are benign, or non-cancerous, tumors of the pituitary gland which secrete increased amounts of ACTH. Most patients have a single adenoma. This form of the syndrome, known as “Cushing’s disease,” affects women five times more frequently than men.

What happens if you have too much ACTH?

What Problem Can Occur With ACTH? If too much ACTH is produced, this can lead to high levels of cortisol in the body, also known as Cushing syndrome. The most common cause of increased ACTH production is a benign pituitary tumor. When this is present, the disorder is called Cushing disease.

What do ACTH levels indicate?

An increased ACTH result can mean that a person has Cushing disease, Addison disease, overactive, tumor-forming endocrine glands (multiple endocrine neoplasia), or ectopic ACTH-producing tumors. A decreased ACTH result can be due to an adrenal tumor, steroid medication, or hypopituitarism.

What kind of tumors can cause ACTH release?

Tumors that can, in rare cases, release ACTH include: 1 Benign carcinoid tumors of the lung 2 Islet cell tumors of the pancreas 3 Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid 4 Small cell tumors of the lung 5 Tumors of the thymus gland

How is ectopic ACTH produced in the lungs?

The team conducted imaging studies of the brain, chest, and abdomen, but found no tumor. Because ectopic ACTH is commonly produced by lung cancers, the team then analyzed the patient’s lungs. Again, they failed to detect a tumor. The patient was discharged with prescription of 200 mg of Nizoral (ketoconazole) once-daily, calcium, and vitamin D.

Where does ACTH come from in ectopic Cushing syndrome?

ACTH is usually made by the pituitary in small amounts and then signals the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Sometimes other cells outside the pituitary can make large amounts of ACTH. This is called ectopic Cushing syndrome.

Can a neuroendocrine tumor cause ectopic ACTH?

In patient 3 the ectopic ACTH origin still remains occult, as the lesion detected by different imaging techniques was not a neuroendocrine tumor. This case once again emphasizes the rather difficult localization of ectopic ACTH source.