What Is Adrenal Carcinoma?

Though very rare, other types of adrenal tumors include:

• Neuroblastoma, which starts in neuroblasts (early nerve cells) in the adrenal gland and usually affects infants or children under 10.

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• Pheochromocytoma, which begins in the medulla, the inner part of the adrenal gland, usually in adrenaline-producing cells.

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• Paraganglioma, which develops near certain blood vessels and nerves outside the adrenal glands.

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• High blood pressure
• Weight gain, particularly in the cheek area (moon face), around the midsection, and above the collarbone
• Fatigue
• Depression and anxiety
• Insomnia
• Tremor
• Lightheadedness when standing up from sitting or lying down
• Headache
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Sweating
• Paleness
• Elevated blood sugar levels, which can lead to diabetes
• Acne

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• Excessive hair growth on the face and body
• Weakness and loss of muscle, especially in the legs
• Weakened bones (osteoporosis)
• Bruising easily
• Purple-red stretch marks on the abdomen, thighs, or breasts
• Low blood potassium levels
• Muscle cramps
• Abdominal pain or fullness
• Back pain or discomfort

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• Enlarged penis or breasts in boys
• Enlarged clitoris or early puberty in girls
• Deepening voice or menstruation abnormalities in women
• Breast tenderness or enlargement, lowered sex drive, or erectile dysfunction in men

While the exact cause of adrenal cancer remains unclear, several factors may contribute to its development.

• Li-Fraumeni syndrome
• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
• Carney complex

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• Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)
• Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)
• Familial adenomatous polyposis
• Lynch syndrome
• Von Hippel-Lindau disease
• Von Recklinghausen’s disease (neurofibromatosis type 1)
• Paraganglioma syndrome

• Overweight or obesity

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• A sedentary lifestyle

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• Smoking
• Exposure to chemicals like asbestos and radon
• Radiation therapy to your abdomen

• Physical examination, including reviewing your medical history, evaluating your symptoms, reviewing your risk factors, and examining your abdomen for any masses
• Blood and urine tests to measure the amount of adrenal hormones in your body
• Dexamethasone suppression tests, which determine if your adrenal gland is producing too much of the hormone cortisol
• Adrenal angiography and venography, which determine if the blood flow in your adrenal arteries and veins are blocked, respectively
• Imaging tests to visualize the size and spread of the tumor, such as ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET, and X-ray scans
• MIGB (meta-iodobenzylguanidine) scans, which use a radioactive tracer to identify pheochromocytomas (a type of tumor) in the inner layer of the adrenal gland

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Treatment for adrenal carcinoma depends largely on how large it is, how far it has spread, and your general health and fitness.

Surgery

• Open adrenalectomy is an operation through one large incision or cut in the abdomen.
• Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is an operation through several smaller incisions using a laparoscope (a long, thin tube with a light and camera at the end).

Radiation Therapy

• External-beam radiation therapy, which uses radiation produced from a machine outside the body to kill the cancer cells, usually with imagery and computer guidance systems to target tumor cells accurately with precise dosages.
• Radiofrequency ablation, which uses a thin, needle-like probe to deliver high-energy radio waves to destroy tumor cells with heat. It’s typically only used if you’re not able to have surgery or the tumor cannot be surgically removed.

Chemotherapy

Hormone Therapy

• For too much cortisol, metyrapone, ketoconazole, mifepristone, and etomidate
• For too much aldosterone, spironolactone, eplerenone, and amiloride
• For too much testosterone, bicalutamide, finasteride, and spironolactone
• For too much estrogen, tamoxifen

Immunotherapy

• Avoid tobacco products, alcohol, and cancer-causing chemicals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you restrict alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

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   There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption when it comes to affecting cancer risk — even small amounts could increase risk of health complications or cancer.

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• Maintain a healthy body weight for you. A BMI of 18.5 to 29.4 is generally considered healthy for most adults, but can vary based on body composition.

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• Be physically active. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week for adults.

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• Eat a healthy diet. Stick to meals rich in fruits and vegetables and low in processed meats.
• Get genetic tests. You may want to consider genetic screening if you have a family history of adrenal cancer or other cancers.

• Regular checkups and follow-up care. This may include blood and urine hormone tests to check your hormone levels.
• A healthy, nutritious diet
• Meditation, yoga, psychotherapy, and other stress-reduction practices to help regulate your cortisol (stress hormone) levels

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• 73 percent for localized cancer that’s only growing in the adrenal gland
• 53 percent for regional cancer that’s spread beyond the gland to nearby lymph nodes or tissues
• 38 percent for distance cancer that’s spread to the liver, lungs, or other distant parts of the body

• Diabetes mellitus
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Muscle weakness and atrophy
• Osteoporosis

• Cushing’s syndrome (excess cortisol)
• Addison’s disease (cortisol or aldosterone deficiency)
• Conn’s syndrome (excess aldosterone)

• Adrenal carcinoma is a rare, aggressive condition that can wreak havoc on your hormones, causing a wide range of issues.
• Understanding the disease’s risk factors, recognizing its many symptoms, and maintaining a proactive approach to your health can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes.
• If caught early enough, the cancer can be surgically removed before it has spread beyond your adrenal glands.