Síndrome de Cushing por ACTH ectópica: revisión a propósito de dos casos clínicos / Cushing syndrome caused by ectopic ACTH secretion: report of two cases

Twelve percent of Cushing syndromes (CS) are caused by ectopic ACTH secretion. We report two cases of the condition. A 57 years old woman with an ectopic CS caused by a bronchial carcinoid tumor. After the tumor excision, the patient had a favorable evolution. A 63 years old woman consulting for cough, dyspnea and weight loss causes by a small cell lung cancer. The patient presented hyperglycemia, hypokalemia and metabolic alcalosis. The laboratory showed a severe hypercortisolism with elevated ACTH levels. The metabolic condition did not subside after the first course of chemotherapy and the patient died due to an infectious complication...