Prolonged fever as a presenting symptom in adrenal tumors

• Published in: Oncology Vol. 45; no. 1; p. 15
• Main Authors: Klausner, J M, Nakash, R, Inbar, M, Gutman, M, Lelcuk, S, Rozin, R R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 1988
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - physiopathology; Aged; Female; Fever - etiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged
• DOI: 10.1159/000226522
• ISSN: 0030-2414

Four patients with adrenal tumors in whom prolonged fever was the foremost symptom are presented. Two of the patients had nonfunctional adrenocortical carcinoma, one had a pheochromocytoma without adrenergic hyperactivity, and in the fourth, an aldosteronoma was found. Only in 1 case was the tumor (pheochromocytoma) resectable and this patient became afebrile post surgery. A review of the literature revealed that fever is encountered in 6-10% of cases with adrenal tumors, sometimes as the first manifestation of disease. However, a survey of the large series of fever of unknown origin revealed no mention of adrenal tumors in that group of solid tumors which many cause prolonged fever.