Abstract
In recent years it has been frequently reported that not only pathological alterations
of the pituitary, hypothalamic centers or the adrenal glands, but also non-endocrine
corticotropin producing syndromes lead to Cushing's syndrome. The demonstration of
an ectopic ACTH syndrome, however, depends on the determination of ACTH in the tumor
tissue. We succeeded in extracting a corticotropic substance from malignant tumors
or their metastases. Since bio- and immunoassay of the same tumor extract yielded
different results, an atypical ACTH molecule produced by the tumor was assumed. This
was further supported by the abnormally high stimulation of corticosterone in our
patients and the pathologically increased content of MSH. In order to exclude non-specific
corticotropic activity, the ACTH content of tumors, metastases and urine were compared
with the negative results of normal liver tissue and normal urine.
Key words
Ectopic ACTH Syndrome - ACTH-Extraction - Biological Assay of ACTH - Radioimmunoassay
of ACTH
1 Part of this paper was presented as a dissertation for promotion to Doctor of Medicine
at the Clinical Faculty of the University of Ulm.
