Adrenal Gland Cancer

What is Adrenal Gland Tumor?

An adrenal gland tumour is an abnormal tissue growth that forms on one or both of the adrenal glands, which are small glands located on top of each kidney. There are two main types of adrenal gland tumours: benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous).

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Benign adrenal gland tumours: Benign adrenal gland tumours include adrenal adenomas and adrenal cysts, which usually do not cause symptoms and do not spread to other parts of the body. However, some adrenal adenomas can produce excess hormones, which can lead to a hormonal imbalance and symptoms such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations.
Malignant adrenal gland tumours: Malignant adrenal gland tumours include adrenocortical carcinoma and pheochromocytoma, which are less common and more serious. Adrenocortical carcinoma is a type of cancer that originates in the adrenal cortex and can produce excess hormones, leading to hormonal imbalances. Pheochromocytoma is a tumour that originates in the adrenal medulla and produces excess amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline, causing symptoms such as high blood pressure, headache, and palpitations.

Diagnosis of an adrenal gland tumour is typically made through imaging tests such as CT scans or MRI scans, and sometimes through biopsy. Treatment options depend on the type and stage of the tumour and may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy.

It’s very essential to consult with a healthcare provider if you have any symptoms or concerns about adrenal gland tumours. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes and help prevent complications.

What are the symptoms of an Adrenal Gland Tumor?

Adrenal gland tumours can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the type and size of the tumour, as well as the hormone produced by the tumour. Some common symptoms include:

High blood pressure
Weight gain
Muscle weakness
The excessive hair growth or hair loss
Irregular periods or other menstrual problems in women
Decreased libido or impotence in men
Easy bruising
Anxiety or panic attacks
Abdominal pain
Increased thirst and urination

It’s important to note that many of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions as well, so it’s important to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Adrenal gland tumours are rare, but if you suspect you may have one, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly.

What are the causes of an Adrenal Gland Tumor?

The exact causes of adrenal gland tumours are not fully understood, but there are some factors that may increase the risk of developing them. These factors include:

Genetic mutations: Inherited genetic mutations, such as those associated with syndromes like multiple endocrine neoplasias, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Exposure to radiation: Exposure to high levels of radiation, such as during cancer treatment or nuclear accidents, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Hormonal imbalances: Certain hormonal imbalances, such as those caused by a pituitary gland tumour, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Ageing: Adrenal gland tumours are more common in older adults.
Gender: Some types of adrenal gland tumours are more common in women than in men.

It’s essential to note that in many cases, the exact cause of an adrenal gland tumour is unknown. If you are concerned about your risk of developing an adrenal gland tumour, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.

Risk Factors of Adrenal Gland Tumor

There are several factors that increase the risk of Adrenal Gland Tumours. These factors include ;

Age: Adrenal gland tumours are more common in individuals between the ages of 30 and 60 years old.
Gender: Adrenal gland tumours are slightly more common in women than in men.
Genetics: Inherited genetic mutations, such as those associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, and von Hippel-Lindau disease, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Exposure to certain chemicals: Prolonged exposure to certain chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
History of radiation therapy: Previous radiation therapy to the abdomen or pelvis can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Smoking: Studies have shown that smokers have an increased risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Obesity: Being overweight or obese may increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Corticosteroid use: Long-term use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and Cushing’s syndrome, can increase the risk of developing adrenal gland tumours.
Family history: Individuals with a family history of adrenal gland tumours are at an increased risk of developing them.

Complications associated with Adrenal Gland Tumor

Adrenal gland tumours can be both benign and malignant, and they can cause a variety of complications, including:

Hormone Overproduction: Adrenal gland tumours can produce hormones, leading to an excess of these hormones in the body. The most common hormones produced by adrenal tumours are cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens. This can lead to a range of complications, including high blood pressure, weight gain, muscle weakness, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Cushing’s Syndrome: Cushing’s syndrome is a condition caused by the overproduction of cortisol. Symptoms of this condition can include weight gain, muscle weakness, skin changes, and mood swings.
Conn’s Syndrome: Conn’s syndrome is a condition caused by the overproduction of aldosterone. This can lead to high blood pressure, low potassium levels, and muscle weakness.
Pheochromocytoma: Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumour that produces adrenaline and noradrenaline. Symptoms of this condition can include high blood pressure, headaches, sweating, and heart palpitations.
Metastasis: In rare cases, adrenal gland tumours can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs, liver, and bones.
Surgery Complications: Surgery to remove adrenal gland tumours can be complex and carries some risks, including bleeding, infection, and damage to surrounding organs.
Recurrence: Even after successful treatment, adrenal gland tumours can sometimes come back. Regular follow-up appointments and imaging tests are necessary to monitor for recurrence.

How to diagnose an Adrenal Gland Tumor?

The above-mentioned symptoms can help diagnose the presence of the tumour, however, there are some essential tests that can precisely prove its presence.

Not all tests described here will be used for every person. Your doctor may consider these factors when choosing a diagnostic test:

The type of tumour suspected
Your signs and symptoms
Your age and general health
The results of earlier medical tests

Apart from a physical examination, the following tests may be used to diagnose an adrenal gland tumour:

Blood and urine tests. Blood and urine tests help measure the number of adrenal hormones, which can tell the doctor if the tumour is functional or nonfunctional. A 24-hour urine sample may also be needed. This test requires a person to collect all of their urine for an entire 24-hour period, so it can be used for laboratory testing. The test results help the doctor track how quickly various hormones are produced.One specific hormone that doctors look for with these tests is the stress hormone called cortisol. A specific test, called a dexamethasone-suppression test, checks cortisol levels. For this test, you may be asked to take a pill the evening before. This pill contains a drug that acts like cortisol in the body. When someone who does not have an adrenal gland tumour takes this drug, their body will make less cortisol and other hormones. However, if someone has an adrenal gland tumour, cortisol levels will remain high even after taking the drug. Tell your doctor about any medications that you take, even over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements, because this information is needed to correctly interpret this test’s results.
Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. If the doctor suspects that cancer has spread to the adrenal gland from another part of the body, a biopsy may be done to find out where cancer began, which can help the doctor plan treatment. During biopsy, a narrow, hollow needle is used to collect the tissue. This is called a fine-needle biopsy or fine-needle aspiration. The biopsy is performed by a radiologist who uses specialized imaging procedures, such as CT scans (see below), to guide the needle directly into the tumour. A pathologist then analyzes the sample(s) removed during the biopsy. A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease. An evaluation of hormone production should be done before a biopsy of an unknown adrenal mass to make sure that the tumour is not producing catecholamines.
CT or CAT scan. A CT scan takes pictures of the inside of the body using x-rays taken from different angles. A computer then combines these pictures into a detailed, 3-dimensional image that shows any abnormalities or tumours. Sometimes, a special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan to provide better detail on the image. This dye can be injected into a patient’s vein through a peripheral intravenous (IV) line. This line is a short, plastic tube inserted into the vein that allows the health care team to give medication or fluids.
MRI. An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body. MRI can also be used to measure the tumour’s size. A special dye called a contrast medium is given before the scan to create a clearer picture. This dye can be injected into a patient’s vein or given as a pill to swallow.
Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan. MIBG is a chemical similar to adrenaline that will collect in a neuroendocrine tumour. An MIBG scan can show a tumour of the adrenal medulla that may not show up on an x-ray. The scan takes place over 2 consecutive days. On the first day, an injection of MIBG is given in the arm. Several hours later, pictures are taken with a special camera that can show if or where in the body the MIBG has been collected. The following morning, more pictures are taken, and the process may be repeated if needed.
Adrenal vein sampling (AVS). In rare cases, a patient may have symptoms of a hormone-producing tumour, but CT or MRI scans may not identify a tumour or the patient may have small masses on both adrenal glands. In cases like this, an interventional radiologist can test the blood from the veins of each adrenal gland. The blood from each gland is tested to determine whether the extra hormone is coming from the adrenal gland with the tumour. This procedure is performed only by specialists and is done in a special radiology centre.
DOTATATE positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan. A PET scan is usually combined with a CT scan (see above), called a PET or PET-CT scan. During this test, a small amount of a radioactive drug, called a tracer, is injected into a patient’s vein. The body is then scanned to show where the radioactivity has built up in the body. However, the amount of radiation in the substance is too low to be harmful. For pheochromocytoma that is suspected to be inherited, is recurrent, or is at multiple sites, a special PET scan using a special compound called DOTATATE is done. This is a newer scan that is useful in the assessment of these conditions. Learn more about pheochromocytoma.

After diagnostic tests are done, your doctor will review the results with you. If the diagnosis is a tumour, these results also help the doctor describe it. This is called staging.

Treatment and prevention of Adrenal Gland Tumour

Treatment will depend on the type of adrenal tumour you have and where it’s located. Your doctor may recommend one or several of the following: surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radionuclide therapy (injection of a radioactive substance into the tumour), or other therapies.

1. Treatment of Incidentaloma:

Small, benign incidentalomas often don’t need to be operated on. Instead, we may simply recommend that you are tested regularly for changes in your hormone levels and undergo regular CT scans or other types of imaging tests.

We usually remove functional, hormone-producing tumours with surgery. If you choose to have surgery, you may need special medication to get your adrenal gland function and hormone levels back to normal. The good news is that after surgery, many people no longer need medicines to control high blood pressure or diabetes that were caused by functional tumours.

2. Treatment of Aldosteronomas and Conn Syndrome:

3. Treatment of Aldosteronomas and Conn Syndrome

If you have aldosterone, surgery can often be effective in removing the tumour and helping lower your blood pressure. If you’re too sick for surgery or want to pursue a different approach, we may be able to offer you drug treatment that manages your symptoms by blocking the effects of aldosterone on your body.

Our doctors also treat bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH), a condition that produces symptoms similar to those of aldosterone. Surgery is generally not effective for BAH, but we can offer you medicines that might help with high blood pressure.

4. Treatment of Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas

The first treatment for pheochromocytomas is surgery. However, if you have malignant pheochromocytomas that have spread beyond the adrenal glands, we may recommend a combination of treatments along with surgery, such as medicines, external radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

With benign, or noncancerous, paragangliomas, we’ll likely recommend surgery as well as medicines and other therapies.

5. Treatment of Adrenal Cortex Tumors and Cushing’s Syndrome

The first treatment for adrenal cortex tumours is surgery. For a while after the operation, you may need to take cortisol-replacement medication, such as hydrocortisone or prednisone, while you wait for your adrenal gland to begin producing normal levels of the hormone again.

6. Treatment of Adrenal Cortical Carcinomas

There are many treatment options for adrenal cortical carcinomas, including medications, radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. We can combine treatments if cancer has metastasized, or spread, beyond the adrenal glands.

If you have a tumour that has spread or come after being first treated, or if you’re too sick to undergo surgery, we may recommend a procedure called tumour ablation. This allows us to use heat or cold to kill cancer cells, relieving some of your symptoms and improving your quality of life. https://geostudies.org, https://christmassongs.club