Mineralocorticoid excess due to precursors only in a patient with adrenal cortical carcinoma.

A patient with carcinoma of the adrenal cortex presented with mineralocorticoid excess due to hypersecretion of deoxycorticosterone, which is exceedingly rare. Backache was the only symptom and an unexplained hypokalaemia was the only sign. Because of the abnormal synthesis of steroid precursors in these tumours a urinary steroid profile may be helpful as a diagnostic tool in such cases.