Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, ACTH

Ectopic ACTH production is most commonly associated with small cell carcinoma of lung. 30% of patients have elevated serum ACTH but only 5% have clinical manifestations¹.

Immunohistochemical expression

Small cell carcinomas do not usually show immunoreactivity for ACTH (0/35¹).

Diagnostic utility

• Classification of pituitary tumours

References

¹Shy, S.W., Lee, W.H., Chou, M.C., Lai, Y.S. and Tu, Y.C. Small cell lung carcinoma: clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study. J Surg Oncol 1990;45:146-61.

Pizarro CB, Oliveira MC, Coutinho LB, et al. Measurement of Ki-67 antigen in 159 pituitary adenomas using the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody. Braz J Med Biol Res 2004; 37:235-43

Viacava P, Gasperi M, Acerbi G, et al. Microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in normal pituitary tissue and pituitary adenomas. J Endocrinol Invest 2003; 26:23-8

Kageyama K, Nigawara T, Kamata Y, et al. A multihormonal pituitary adenoma with growth hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone production, causing acromegaly and Cushing disease. Am J Med Sci 2002; 324:326-30

Fan X, Olson SJ, Blevins LS, et al. Immunohistochemical localization of carboxypeptidases D, E, and Z in pituitary adenomas and normal human pituitary. J Histochem Cytochem 2002; 50:1509-16

Japon MA, Urbano AG, Saez C, et al. Glial-derived neurotropic factor and RET gene expression in normal human anterior pituitary cell types and in pituitary tumors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002; 87:1879-84

This page last revised 9.7.2005.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop