[Hypertension in malignant tumors of the adrenal cortex. A review of clinical, biological and hormonal features].

Hypertension may be a prominent and sometimes the dominant expression of tumours of the adrenal cortex as demonstrated in a personal series of 9 cases and in comparable series in the literature. It is therefore important, despite their relatively low incidence, to recognise adrenal cortical tumours as the cause of hypertension. The present study was undertaken to show that this diagnosis is relatively easy. The simplest indicators are:--the change in body electrolytes with hypokalaemia and hyper-kaliuria is practically constant and should prompt a hormonal investigation to demonstrate increases adrenal secretion of mineralocorticoids;--there is also a high incidence, despite the variable profiles of plasma and urinary corticosteroids, of paradoxical lowering of plasma aldosterone in parallel with normal or low PRA which does not react to orthostatism. These two preliminary investigations are the prelude and invitation to the measurement of other mineralocorticoids, especially desoxycorticosterone secondary to a relative block of 11-betahydroxylation from what other in vivo and in vitro studies have shown. Repeated monitoring of the preceding investigations is important for the post-operative follow-up and diagnosis of recurrences or metastases.