Endocrine Abstracts

Ectopic ACTH syndrome accounts for approximately 20% of all cases of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. The most common causes are oat cell carcinomas, bronchial and foregut carcinoid tumors, pancreatic islet cell tumors and pheochromocytomas. Rarely, ectopic CRH-secretion occurs by peripheral tumors, especially carcinoids. Whereas the screening for hypercortisolism followed by analysis of ACTH is well established, the distinction between pituitary adenomas and ectopic so...