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Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumor originating in the adrenal cortex and characterized by poor 5-year survival. It occurs with a frequency of 2–4 cases per 2 million in the population. Women are more frequently affected than men and it is mostly detected in the fourth and fifth decades. In the most of cases, the cancerogenesis occurs sporadically because of gene driver mutations in somatic adrenocortical cells, in other cases it can be found as part of a genetically determined syndrome such as Li–Fraumeni syndrome or Wermer's syndrome (multiple endocrine adenomatosis type I). ACC most frequently happens occurs without symptoms in the initial stages leading to poor diagnoses. Because of this lack of early detection, the tumor is not considered malignant reducing the benefits of further treatment. Sometimes the fact that the resected tumor is indeed adrenocortical carcinoma becomes clear only after recurrence, or after the appearance of metastases. We present a case of adrenocortical carcinoma in a 46-year-old woman who went to the doctor in 1.5 year after symptoms were manfested. This clinical case illustrates the consequences of late diagnosis of a malignant tumor. We would like to emphasize the importance of timely detection of a neoplasm, using all of the potential of laboratory-instrumental and genomic analysis. Due to low oncological awareness, our patient was slow to seek medical help, which in turn led not only to metastases, but also to complications in the cardiovascular system.

The formations of the adrenal glands are often detected accidentally during instrumental methods of examination of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, performed for some other reasons. Over the past 2 decades, the frequency of detection of adrenal gland formations has increased 10-fold, and most of them are diagnosed in old age. The tactics of observation and treatment depend both on hormonal activity and on the malignant potential of the detected formation. Up to 58% of patients with adrenal incidentalomas have a malignant nature, with a higher risk in young patients, with a size of more than 4 cm, as well as with a history of other malignant neoplasms. The frequency of detection of the classical clinical and laboratory picture of hypercorticism, hyperaldosteronism or catecholamine-producing tumor is less than 15%, however, the phenomenon of functionally autonomous cortisol production according to the results of studies conducted in the last few years is much more common up to 3050% of patients. Despite the absence of vivid clinical symptoms in some cases, autonomous cortisol secretion is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and metabolic disorders, therefore, all patients with adrenal incidentalomas need to exclude this condition. This article presents clinical cases of patients with adrenal gland formations, describes in detail the examination algorithm and the choice of treatment tactics, taking into account the results of studies conducted since the release of the latest clinical recommendations for the management of patients with adrenal gland incidentalomas in 2016.

The preoperative diagnostics of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), including the measuring of the blood calcitonin level, has a number of limitations. Particular focus has recently been placed on the role of miRNAs in the development of various malignant tumors; a comparative analysis of accuracy of the existing methods for MTC diagnosis with a novel diagnosis method, evaluation of the miRNA-375 expression level, was performed in this study. The expression level of miRNA-375 in cytology samples from 555 patients with the known histological diagnosis, including 41 patients with confirmed postoperative diagnosis of MTC, was assessed. The diagnostic parameters of the basal calcitonin level, calcitonin in wash-out fluid from the FNAB needle, and miRNA-375 were compared. An assessment of the miRNA-375 expression level made it possible to detect all the MTC samples with a 100% accuracy among all the 555 cytology specimens, as well as in non-informative FNAB specimens, and specimens from the ipsilateral thyroid lobe. Parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 100%. The miRNA-375 level, unlike calcitonin, does not correlate with tumor volume, so it does not have the so-called “gray zone”. An assessment of the miRNA-375 expression allows one to accurately distinguish MTC from other malignant and benign thyroid tumors.

Aim. To study the prognostic value of determining Chromogranin A blood level in the diagnosis of PHEO. Materials and methods. We conducted a comparative analytical study of 157 patients with suspected PHEO, statistical analysis of 24-hour urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine excretion test was performed, as well as a blood test for CrA, in groups that included patients without PHEO, with primary tumor or its recurrence, confirmed according to MSCT and/or scintigraphy with MIBG and/or the clonidine suppression test. Results. The parameters of efficiency of these methods were calculated by groups and it was noted that the lowest sensitivity of the CrA determination method was observed in the group with recurrence of PHEO (43.8%), their exclusion from the entire sample didnt change specificity of the method and it remained at a high level (85.45%), though sensitivity significantly increased up to 87.1%. Sensitivity of determining 24-hour urinary metanephrine excretion also increased significantly up to 96.8%, with 98.2% of specificity. The correlation between diameter of the tumor and its secretory activity was identified: small with CrA level (rho 0.491) and strong with total level of methylated catecholamines (rho 0.765). False positive results were more often observed in patients present with other neuroendocrine tumors (37.5%), as well as those taking proton-pump inhibitors (43.75%). The sensitivity and specificity of CrA determining method in the group of patients with methanephrins elevated within gray zone appeared to be 50 and 86.1%, respectively. Conclusion. A blood test for CrA can be recommended as a confirmatory test for diagnosing PHEO in cases of questionable methylated catecholamines indicators or in cases of suspected relapse of PHEO. The use of the test as a first-line method is only possible if there is no possibility to study methylated catecholamines. When interpreting CrA level, it is necessary to take into account the conditions that may cause false-positive results.

In this article, we discuss difficulties in parathyroid localization modalities in diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. Most often, superior parathyroid glands are located on the posteromedial surface of the right and left lobes of the thyroid gland, however, they also could be found at the carotid bifurcation, behind pharynx and esophagus, as well as inside thyroid gland. Location of the inferior parathyroid glands is more variable: on the side or back surface, or below the lower pole of the thyroid gland, as well as in thymus, posterior or anterior mediastinum, or inside thyroid. Localization modalities of primary hyperparathyroidism are based on neck ultrasonography, scintigraphy with sestamibi, computed tomography of neck and mediastinum. In cases with combination of multinodal goitre and an intrathyroid location of the parathyroid gland, there might be additional difficulties in verification of various patterns (thyroid nodules or parathyroid glands). In this article, we present two clinical cases of intrathyroid location of parathyroid glands. The algorithm of parathyroid adenoma localization is shown. Determination of PTH level in washing liquid after fine-needle aspiration biopsy from necessary punctures of the nodule formations, which can be either intrathyroid parathyroid glands or thyroid nodules, can also help to avoid diagnostic mistakes.