查看文章

One of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes is the ectopic ACTH secretion syndrome (EAS), a sustained hypercortisolism driven by tumors of extra-pituitary origin that secrete either adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), its precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC, unprocessed or partially cleaved) or, less frequently, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Bronchial carcinoids and small cell carcinomas of the lung (SCLC) are the most frequent causes of EAS (Alexandraki & Grossman 2010). This syndrome is commonly associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality since patients with hypercortisolism usually exhibit worse response to chemotherapy and suffer from severe infections and metabolic complications during treatment