Cushing's syndrome associated with thymic tumour in a 32 year old Zambian African female

As early as 1928 Brown had noticed, for the first time, the association of Cushing's syndrome with bronchial carcinoma. Since then similar cases have been recorded with increasing frequency, and biochemical and bioassay techniques leave little doubt that under these circumstances the adrenal hypersecretion responsible for the Cushing's syndrome is the result of stimulation of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) or of an adrenocorticotropin like hormone elaborated by the malignant cells themselves. Recently, extra adrenal carcinomas, especially those arising from the thymus, ovaries, and pancreas have been shown to adrenal hyperactivity with overt clinical and biochemical Cushing's syndrome. A case in an African woman of 32, of extra adrenal Cushing's syndrome due to thymic tumor is reported. As far as known, however, none of these conditions have been described in the (southern) African literature.