Cushing syndrome secondary to a mediastinal carcinoid tumor: a case report

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are a rare and diverse set of malignancies that can develop anywhere within the body. ACTH-producing mediastinal NETs often originate from the thymus in the anterior mediastinum and are very rare. Primary diagnostic modalities for NETs include CT scan, MRI, scintigraphy, and Ga-DOTA PET scan. Here we report a case of a young male without any past medical history presenting with hypercortisolism secondary to a middle mediastinal typical carcinoid tumor. The patient underwent a successful resection which reduced serum ACTH levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Cushing syndrome caused by a middle mediastinal NET.

Keywords: ACTH syndrome; Carcinoid tumor; Cushing’s syndrome; Ectopic; Mediastinal neoplasms; Neuroendocrine tumor.