Adrenocortical adenocarcinoma in an MSH2 carrier: coincidence or causal relation?

A woman is described who developed an ovarian adenocarcinoma, 3 metachronous colorectal adenocarcinomas, and a primary adrenocortical adenocarcinoma. Genetic investigation of the mismatch repair genes MLH1 and MSH2 showed a germline mutation in MSH2. Colorectal and ovarian carcinoma belong to the tumor spectrum of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Adrenocortical adenocarcinoma, however, has never been described as 1 of the HNPCC-associated tumors. To investigate whether the adrenocortical adenocarcinoma in this patient was caused by the MSH2 germline mutation, determination of microsatellite instability (MSI) and immunohistochemical analysis were performed on 1 of the colorectal tumors and the adrenocortical adenocarcinoma. MSI and general loss of MSH2 protein expression could be seen in the colorectal tumor but not in the adrenocortical adenocarcinoma. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the adrenocortical adenocarcinoma found in this patient was due to her genetic predisposition for HNPCC. HUM PATHOL 31:1522-1527. Copyright 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company