Rare association of adrenal tumors.

Adrenal incidentalomas represent a true problem both in the clinical diagnosis and in their treatment. A great variety of pathologies may be found under the umbrella of this concept: benign adenomas - functioning or not, myelolipomas, hamartomas, or granulomatous infiltrations of the adrenal. The possibility of malignancy should be considered in each case, especially in patients with a known extra-adrenal primary. In true incidentalomas, size appears to be predictive of malignancy. We present an interesting case because of the surprising association of two adrenal tumors, with a long time lapse between them, with ascites and pleurisy and because of the difficulty of treatment in a patient refusing surgery. We did not find such an association in the medical literature. Miss MR, 61 years old, was treated surgically for pheochromocytoma 28 years ago (left adrenalectomy). She was diagnosed in the past with peritoneal carcinomatosis; paraneoplastic left pleurisy, chronic hepatitis of unknown etiology. She presented at admission cashexia, pallor, signs of left pleural effusion and of ascites, hearts beats and blood pressure within normal limits. Investigations were performed including hormonal tests, ultrasound investigation, hepatic tests, and CT scan but no specific tumour markers. A right adrenal incidentaloma of 21/15 mm - in association with ascites and pleurisy - was found at CT scan. Diagnostic problems are discussed because the patient refused surgery, so no pathological examination was available.