Description

Adrenal cancer is a growth of cells that begins in the adrenal gland. The adrenal glands are small, triangular glands located above the kidneys. Although small, these glands control much of what happens in the body. They produce hormones that help control metabolism, blood pressure and other important functions.

Adrenal cancer is rare, and can occur at any age. It is more likely to affect children younger than 5 years old and adults in their 40s and 50s. Adrenal cancer, also called adrenocortical carcinoma.

When adrenal cancer is detected early, a cure may be possible. When the cancer has spread beyond the adrenal glands, a priest becomes less likely. In this situation, the treatment can be used to keep the cancer from spreading more.

Most of the tumors that form in the adrenal glands are not cancer. The medical term for that is benign. An example of an adrenal growth that is not cancer, it is adrenal adenoma.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of adrenal cancer may include:

  • Back pain.
  • Belly pain.
  • Losing weight without trying.
  • Loss of appetite.

Many people who have adrenal cancer develop hormonal changes in the body. These changes may occur if the cancer cells produce more hormones. More often, cancer of the adrenal produces the hormone cortisol. This can cause symptoms of Cushing's syndrome, including:

  • The increase of weight.
  • The muscle weakness.
  • Pink or purple stretch marks on the skin.
  • Bruises that happen even with a small injury.
  • The high blood pressure.
  • High blood sugar or diabetes.

Less often, cancer of the adrenal can make the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. In women, changes in sex hormones can cause more facial hair, loss of hair on the head and in the periods that are not regular. In males, these hormonal changes can cause the testicles to shrink and the tissue of the breast larger.

Rarely, adrenal cancer can cause the hormone aldosterone. That can cause high blood pressure and low levels of potassium in the blood.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a health care professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.

Causes

It is not clear what causes adrenal cancer.

Adrenal cancer occurs when cells in the adrenal gland develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA tells the cells to grow and multiply at a set rate. The DNA also tells the cells to die at a set time.

In cancer cells, changes in DNA to give different instructions. The changes tell cancer cells to grow and multiply quickly. Cancer cells can continue living when healthy cells would die. This makes too many cells.

The cancer cells may form a mass called a tumor. The tumor can grow to invade and destroy healthy body tissue. At the time, cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads, it is called metastatic cancer.

Risk factors

Adrenal cancer occurs more often in people who inherit certain health conditions that increase the risk of some types of cancer. These conditions include:

  • The Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
  • Familial adenomatous polyposis.
  • Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
  • The Lynch syndrome.
  • Multiple endocrine Neoplasia type 1, also called of MEN 1.

The health professionals I have not found anything that can prevent adrenal cancer.

Diagnosis

To diagnose adrenal cancer, a health professional could start with a physical exam and a review of your health history and family medical history. The diagnosis also involves blood and urine tests and imaging tests. Sometimes, surgery to remove the adrenal gland may be necessary to diagnose adrenal cancer.

Blood and urine tests

Laboratory tests of blood and urine may show levels of hormones produced by the adrenal glands, which are located outside of a healthy range. These hormones include cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests are used to diagnose adrenal cancer include computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography scans, also called PET. Health care professionals may use the images to examine tumors in the adrenal glands. Imaging tests can also look for signs that the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

The surgery to remove the adrenal gland

In some situations, to make a diagnosis of adrenal cancer, adrenal gland that might have cancer is removed with surgery. Then, the gland is examined in a laboratory by a doctor that studies the tissues of the body, called a pathologist. The test can show if the gland has cancer.

Treatment

The treatment for adrenal cancer often involves surgery to remove the adrenal gland. Other treatments may also be used in some situations. Treatments include radiation therapy and medications, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Surgery

Surgery for adrenal cancer usually involves the removal of the entire adrenal gland. This procedure is called an adrenalectomy. The surgery is performed for several reasons, including:

  • To confirm a diagnosis of adrenal cancer.
  • Remove as much of the cancer as possible.
  • To see if the cancer has spread outside of the adrenal gland.
  • Relieve the symptoms. This may include the decrease of symptoms that occur when the body produces too much of the hormone cortisol due to cancer. The surgery may also help with symptoms such as abdominal pain and back pain that occur when an adrenal cancer grows large.

It is common adrenal cancer spread outside of the adrenal gland. If the surgeon finds evidence that the cancer has spread to nearby organs, like the liver or the kidney, parts or all of the organs may also need to be removed.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful rays of energy. The energy can come from X-rays, protons or other sources. Radiation therapy is sometimes used after adrenal cancer surgery to destroy any cell that could be left behind. It can also help to relieve pain and other symptoms of cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as bones.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treats the cancer with strong medications. For adrenal cancers that cannot be completely removed with surgery or those who come back after the surgery, the chemotherapy may help keep the cancer from growing and spreading.

Mitotane

Mitotane (Lysodren) is an older medicine that has been used for the advanced treatment of adrenal cancer. It has also shown promise in maintaining adrenal cancer coming back after surgery. This medicine may be used after surgery to people who are at high risk of the cancer coming back. The research of mitotane for this purpose is ongoing.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for cancer is a treatment with a medication that helps the body's immune system destroys the cancer cells. The immune system fights diseases by attacking the germs and other cells that should not be in the body. Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the cells of the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

For adrenal cancer, immunotherapy may be used when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, or in situations where surgery is not possible.

Coping and support

With the time, you're going to find things that help you cope with a diagnosis of cancer in the adrenal gland. Until you find what works best for you, here are a few ideas for coping with the situation.

Learn more

Learn enough about the adrenal cancer to help you make decisions about your care. Ask your health care team about your cancer. Understand your test results and treatment options. Some people want to know about their prospects of a cure. Others, not. Make the right choice for you. As you learn more about the adrenal cancer, you can be more confident in making decisions.

Find a good listener

Find someone who is willing to listen to you talk about your hopes and fears can be useful when managing a cancer diagnosis. This could be a friend or family member. A counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group may also provide useful guidance and care.

Ask a member of your health care team about support groups and other resources in your area. You can also learn more of the organizations that offer support services for people with cancer. In the united States, the examples include the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Preparing for your appointment

Start by making an appointment with a health care professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.

Because appointments can be brief, it is a good idea to be prepared. Here's some information to help you prepare.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any thing that you need to do before your appointment. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do to prepare. For example, you may need to stop eating or drinking for a certain amount of time before your appointment.
  • Write down the symptoms that you have. Include any that do not seem to be related to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information. Include any major stresses or recent life changes. Family medical history can also be helpful.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you take.
  • Consider the possibility of a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all information that is obtained during an appointment. Someone who comes with you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their health professional.

Bring a list of questions to your appointment can help you to make the most of your time with your health care professional. For adrenal cancer, some basic questions to ask include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms?
  • Other that the most likely cause, what are other possible causes of the symptoms?
  • What tests do I need?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • What are the alternatives to the approach that you're suggesting?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions that you may have too much.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider is likely to ask you some questions, including:

  • When did your symptoms begin?
  • Do you have symptoms all the time, or come and go?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of Adrenal cancer