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E. Ann Myers, MD; Jane McWilliams Hardman, MD; G. Frederick Worsham, MD; Charles Eil, MD, PhD

Arch Intern Med. 1982;142(7):1387-1389.

Abstract
• A patient with a left lower lung mass had muscle weakness, generalized hyperpigmentation, metabolic alkalosis, and profound hypokalemia. His elevated serum cortisol, corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations were not suppressed after midnight dexamethasone administration. Light and electron microscopic sections of the lung mass fitted the pathological criteria for adenocarcinoma. Immunocytochemical analysis of the tumor demonstrated specific staining with antibody to β-endorphin, suggesting that the tumor cells made the common precursor molecule of ACTH, β-lipotropin, and endorphin. This is, to the best of our knowledge, only the second case report of pulmonary adenocarcinoma associated with the syndrome of ectopic ACTH.

(Arch Intern Med 1982;142:1387-1389)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Medicine (Drs Myers and Eil) and Pathology (Drs Hardman and Worsham), National Naval Medical Center and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. Dr Myers is now with the Department of Medicine, Naval Regional Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication March 30, 1982.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and are not to be construed as reflecting the views of the Navy Department, the Naval Service at large, or the Department of Defense.

Reprint requests to Box 396, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20814 (Dr Eil).

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