Adrenal cancer is an extremely rare but potentially deadly malignancy that starts in the adrenal glands, most often causing hormone overproduction. The disease is diagnosed in approximately 1-2 people per 1 million population each year, most commonly in young adults or in children under the age of 6.
Adrenal tumors can be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancerous). Even benign adrenal tumors can be dangerous or cause uncomfortable symptoms. Adrenal tumors can be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancerous). Even benign adrenal tumors can be dangerous or cause uncomfortable symptoms.
In addition, the specific tumor type of pheochromocytoma may cause dangerous surges of the hormones that regulate blood pressure and the body's response to stress. A hormonal surge can cause blood pressure to rise very quickly, increasing the risk of a heart attack, stroke, hemorrhage, or sudden death.
Approximately 5% of patients undergoing cross-sectional imaging have an adrenal mass, and of these, 5% are malignant [4].
Overall there is good evidence that treatment at specialized centers improves patient outcome in terms of cure and survival. Adrenocortical cancers are often aggressive and can spread to other parts of the body (metastasize) rapidly.
When the tumor is found at the early stage and can be removed surgically, the five-year survival rate is 50-60 percent. The prognosis for adrenal cancers that have spread to nearby or distant organs is much less favorable, with only 10-20 percent surviving five years.
Adrenal cancer, also called adrenocortical cancer, can occur at any age. But it's most likely to affect children younger than 5 and adults in their 40s and 50s.
NYU Langone doctors often perform surgery to remove adrenal tumors that are causing symptoms, also called functional tumors. Removing these tumors helps you avoid long-term health problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, weight gain, diabetes, and kidney problems.
Many people don't realize they have an adrenal adenoma until their healthcare provider discovers an adrenal gland tumor during an imaging procedure for an unrelated medical condition. These tumors are sometimes called “incidentalomas” because they're found incidentally, or by chance.
The size of the mass is the most important predictor of the risk of malignancy. All adrenal lesions more than 4 cm in size should be removed. [32,33] There is much controversy in surgical removal of smaller lesions (<4 cm). However, many institutions recommend surgery for masses 3-4 cm in size.
The causes of adrenal tumors are not fully understood, although we know that some rare genetic conditions increase the risk. These include multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, von Hippel–Lindau syndrome, familial paraganglioma syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, Carney complex, and Li–Fraumeni syndrome.
Most tumors in the adrenal glands are not cancer. (These may be called benign tumors.) It's often hard to tell if an adrenal tumor is cancer (malignant) or benign. If the tumor grows and spreads to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, it's cancer.
You'll need to refrain from heavy lifting, motions that put strain on your abdomen and vigorous activities for up to a month after your laparoscopic adrenalectomy to avoid a hernia, and recovery can take about six weeks after an open adrenal surgery.
Most benign adrenal tumors cause no symptoms and don't need treatment. But sometimes these tumors secrete high levels of certain hormones that can cause complications. The most common hormones that can be over-secreted are aldosterone and cortisol from the cortex and adrenalin hormones from the medulla.
Your treatment may include a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Palliative care will also be important to help relieve symptoms and side effects. For many people, a diagnosis of metastatic cancer is very stressful and difficult.
The most common symptom reported by patients with adrenocortical cancer is pain in the back or side (called the flank). Unfortunately, this type of pain is common and does not directly suggest a disease of the adrenal cortex.
In addition to a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose an adrenal gland tumor: Blood and urine tests. Blood and urine tests help measure the amount of adrenal hormones, which can tell the doctor if the tumor is functional or nonfunctional.
Chronic stress can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system, cause the release of endocrine hormones and promote the occurrence and development of tumors.
Adrenal tumors are usually removed with a minimally invasive surgery called a laparoscopic adrenalectomy. When you remove an adrenal tumor, you remove the associated adrenal gland with it. Your body can easily adapt to having only one adrenal gland secreting the hormones necessary for your daily living.
Adrenal glands secrete several types of hormones and thus are part of the endocrine system. We all have two adrenal glands, but we can live just fine with only one (In fact, most people can live normally with less than half a normal adrenal gland).
The adrenalectomy is typically performed through small incisions (minimally invasive) although it also may be performed as an open surgery.
Advanced adrenal cancer: Stage 3 and stage 4 adrenal cancer means the tumor has spread to other parts of your body. Usually, cancer cells spread first to nearby lymph nodes. Advanced cancer can also spread to other organs, tissues, blood vessels and bones.
The vast majority of all adrenal tumors in people without any known cancer are adenomas, which are benign. They grow more slowly than malignant tumors. Research suggests the growth rate is between 0.3 and 2.8 mm a year, whereas malignant adrenal tumors may grow between 5.8 and 395.4 mm a year.