Oat cell carcinoma of the pancreas with ectopic ACTH secretion

Abstract

The clinical and biochemical findings in a case of ectopic ACTH secretion are reported in detail with particular reference to the disturbances in potassium and sodium metabolism. Biopsy of an hepatic metastasis during life showed oat cell carcinoma, but after death meticulous search of the lungs showed no tumor. Subsequent investigations suggested that the growth was an unusually anaplastic pancreatic islet cell tumor. The histogenesis of oat cell carcinomas is discussed and it is concluded that these tumors are not exclusively pulmonary in origin but all may be regarded as having an endocrine derivation.