What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Case Report. Population: Adrenocortical carcinoma in pregnancy (n=1).

What question did this study set out to answer?

To describe a rare case of adrenocortical carcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy and review existing literature.

April 12, 2026Open Access

Adrenocortical Carcinoma in Pregnancy. The First Case Report in Mexico and Review of the Literature.

Key Result

A rare case of adrenocortical carcinoma in pregnancy (fewer than 20 cases reported worldwide) presented with preeclampsia and was diagnosed incidentally.

Key Points

To describe a rare case of adrenocortical carcinoma diagnosed during pregnancy and review existing literature.
Documented a case of ACC diagnosed incidentally in a pregnant individual.
Analyzed clinical presentations and diagnostic methods related to ACC in pregnancy.
Reviewed literature to compile known cases and management strategies.
Identified preeclampsia as a common symptom associated with functional ACC.
Noted the extremely poor prognosis of ACC, particularly during pregnancy.
Emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary management for improving patient survival outcomes.

Study Design

Type

Case Report (n=1)

Structured PICO

Population

1 pregnant patient with adrenocortical carcinoma presenting with preeclampsia

Adrenocortical carcinoma in pregnancy is extremely rare and can present with preeclampsia, requiring multidisciplinary management due to its poor prognosis.

Abstract

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in pregnancy is very rare, with fewer than 20 cases reported in the world literature. The most common form of diagnosis is incidental, occurring during imaging studies. However, in pregnancy, gestational hypertension or preeclampsia is one of the signs frequently associated with functional ACC, particularly with cortisol secretion. Histological diagnosis is the gold standard, and in early stages, surgery is the treatment of choice. The prognosis for ACC is extremely poor, but pregnancy-associated ACC is associated with even shorter survival periods. We present a case of ACC in pregnancy that presented with preeclampsia and was diagnosed incidentally. This type of presentation represents a clinical challenge and requires multidisciplinary management to improve the patient's survival.