Adrenal Gland Cancer

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Genetics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Your adrenal, or suprarenal, glands are located on the top of each kidney. These glands produce hormones that you can't live without, including sex hormones and cortisol, which helps you respond to stress and has many other functions.

A number of disorders can affect the adrenal glands, including tumors. Tumors can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren't cancer. Malignant ones are. Most adrenal gland tumors are benign. They usually do not cause symptoms and may not require treatment. Malignant adrenal gland cancers are uncommon.

Types of tumors include:

• Adrenocortical carcinoma - cancer in the outer part of the gland
• Neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer
• Pheochromocytoma - a rare tumor that is usually benign

Symptoms depend on the type of cancer you have. Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

Start Here

• Adrenal Gland Tumor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• General Information about Adrenocortical Carcinoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Is Adrenal Cancer? (American Cancer Society)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Abdominal and Pelvic CT (Computed Tomography) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Aldosterone Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Body MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Cortisol Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• DHEA Sulfate Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Adrenocortical Carcinoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Tests for Adrenal Cancer (American Cancer Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Adrenal Gland Removal (Adrenalectomy) (Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons)
• Questions to Ask about Adrenal Cancer (American Cancer Society)
• Treatment Option Overview (Adrenocortical Carcinoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Living as an Adrenal Cancer Survivor (American Cancer Society)

Genetics

• Carney Complex (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Adrenal Gland Tumors: Statistics (American Society of Clinical Oncology)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Clinical course of patients with adrenal incidentalomas and cortisol autonomy: a...
• Article: The 15-year national trends of endocrine cancers incidence among Iranian men...
• Article: Surgical strategies of complicated pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas and literature review.
• Adrenal Gland Cancer -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• Find an Endocrinologist (Endocrine Society)
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Adrenalectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Adrenocortical carcinoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish