A rare case of primary aldosteronism caused by bilateral functioning adrenocortical adenomas with renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

We report a rare case of bilateral primary aldosteronism with renal cell carcinoma. A 55-year-old woman developed symptoms of hypertension and hypokalemia. The cause of these symptoms was suspected to be primary aldosteronism, based on the high levels of plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC) and low levels of plasma rennin activity (PRA), resulting in a high PAC/PRA ratio. Abdominal CT and MRI revealed tumor masses in both adrenal glands, and a large left renal mass. The preoperative diagnosis was primary aldosteronism due to bilateral functioning adrenocortical adenomas and left renal cell carcinoma. The patient underwent left radical nephrectomy and right partial adrenalectomy. The Pathological diagnosis was left renal cell carcinoma and bilateral functioning adrenocortical adenomas. Primary aldosteronism due to bilateral functioning adrenocortical adenomas is relatively rare and its complication with renal cell carcinoma is an extremely rare case.