Long‐term survival of a patient with refractory advanced adrenocortical carcinoma after combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus mitotane

Abstract

Introduction The prognosis of patients with unresectable adrenocortical carcinoma is poor. Mitotane is the first‐line treatment for this disease, and etoposide/doxorubicin/cisplatin/mitotane therapy is recommended as first‐line chemotherapy in unresponsive cases. We present a case of long‐term survival following combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus mitotane to manage mitotane‐refractory advanced adrenocortical carcinoma. Case presentation A 49‐year‐old woman with a left adrenal tumor, lymph node metastasis around the aorta, and multiple liver metastases was treated with mitotane. The disease progressed despite mitotane therapy; thus, combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus mitotane was administered for 9 months. Primary adrenal resection was performed after the liver metastasis had completely dissapeared. She has remained alive for 20 years since her initial diagnosis while undergoing mitotane therapy. Conclusion In this case, combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus mitotane effectively controlled advanced adrenocortical carcinoma.

Keywords

• adrenocortical carcinoma
• carboplatin
• liver neoplasms
• paclitaxel