Recovery from Marie-Bamberger's syndrome and diabetes insipidus after removal of a lung adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine features

Abstract

A 44-year-old woman with Marie-Bamberger's syndrome and diabetes insipidus had a lung tumour with mediastinal metastases, but no signs of metastases to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland. A week after removal of the tumour, the joint pain, polyuria and polydipsia disappeared. The tumour was diagnosed histopathologically was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and dispersed cells reacting with antisera against neurone- specific enolase, S-100 protein, neuropeptide Y, follicle-stimulating hormone, substance P, vasoactive polypeptide (VIP), adrenocortirotropic hormone and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) as well as to one of three tested antisera raised against antidiuretic hormone (ADH). It was suggested that Marie-Bamberger's syndrome might be caused by one of these immunoreactive substances or by a substance that shares an amino acid sequence with one of these neuroendocrine peptides. It was also suggested that the tumour might produce an ADH-like substance which might have an ADH-antagonist effect.