Endocrinology and Endocrine System

Adrenal Cancer

When abnormal cells form in adrenal glands such condition is called as Adrenal Cancer. Adrenal cancer is a rare cancer usually occurs in the outermost layer of the glands, or the adrenal cortex. It is also called as adrenocortical cancer and occurs in any age group people. Most of the cancers are benign cancer (non-cancerous). It generally appears as a tumor like adenoma, pheochromocytoma.

Causes of adrenal cancer are not clear.

Signs and symptoms of adrenal cancer are: Weight gain, Muscle weakness, Pink or purple stretch marks on the skin, Hormone changes in women that might cause excess facial hair, hair loss on the head and irregular periods while in men cause enlarged breast tissue and shrinking testicles, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal bloating, Back pain, Fever, Loss of appetite, Loss of weight without trying.

Risk factors of adrenal cancer includes: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Carney complex, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Lynch syndrome, Multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 1 (MEN 1).

When adrenal cancer is diagnosed early, it can be cured. But if the cancer has spread to areas beyond the adrenal glands, cure becomes less likely. Treatment can be used to delay progression or recurrence of cancer.

Journal key Highlights