Adrenocortical tumor in a patient with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

An adrenal cortical tissue tumor developed in a patient with poorly controlled salt-losing congenital adrenal hyperplasia. A 16-year-old girl became progressively virilized from 13 to 16 years of age. Base line serum progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and testosterone levels were high and there was a diurnal pattern of the hormones. Initially elevated urinary 17-ketosteroid and serum steroid levels were decreased by high dose dexamethasone therapy, and at laparotomy an adenoma was found in the cortex of the hyperplastic left adrenal gland. It is inferred that persistent adrenocorticotrophic hormone stimulation may result in neoplastic transformation of hyperplastic adrenal cortical tissue in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.