Eight-day survival without adrenal steroids

J. Jain, A. R. Arnstein, A. Singhakowinta and V. K. Vaitkevicius

A patient with advanced breast cancer who had undergone a total bilateral adrenalectomy in the past refused adrenal steroid replacement therapy with the idea that this would be the easiest and quickest way to end her life. However, she continued to live for more than eight days. Survival under these circumstances is unusual, and the terminal course of her illness is described.