Acromegaly as an expression of a rare disease: description of an unusual clinical case of Carney Complex

Introduction: The Carney complex (CC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome, characterized by multiple endocrine neoplasms, pigmented skin lesions, endocrine hyper-activity and myxomas. Case study: C. E., 71 years old, was addressed to our center in August 1994, following the finding of a sellar enlargement in a skull radiography performed after an accident. A pituitary tomography showed the presence of a lesion extended up to the optic chiasm, a macroadenoma that was treated with transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery. A histological diagnosis of a “GH secreting macroadenoma” was performed. An echocardiographic study highlighted an atrial isolated myxoma that was subsequently removed. A contrast-enhanced abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) excluded adrenal lesions. In 2001, in relation to relapse of Acromegaly, the patient started therapy with somatostatin analogues which was replaced, in 2008, by Pegvisomant to obtain biochemical control of the disease. Conclusions: At the time of initial screening, it is important not to underestimate the possibility that certain clinical features fall within the context of more complex syndromes. The knowledge of how Acromegaly presents itself in relation to CC and its associated characteristics such as cardiac myxoma or typical skin lesions, will help clinicians to timely diagnose this rare disease and treat it appropriately.