May a lymphocytic infiltration have a pathogenic role in an aldosterone-producing adrenal tumor?

Abstract

A 38-year-old woman is described to have a primary hyperaldosteronism due to an aldosteronoma with foci of lymphocytic infiltration. The finding suggests: a concomitant lymphoid adrenalitis; or, an immunological attack to neoplastic cells. The hypothesis is that there may be a relationship in the association. The lymphocytic infiltrates could have a pathogenic role in the development of the aldosterone-producing adrenocortical neoplasm by interrupting some inhibitory mechanism(s) of the cells that secrete aldosterone.