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Adrenal cancer is a rare disease that develops in the adrenal glands, two tiny glands on top of the kidneys that are part of the endocrine system. They produce hormones that are responsible for a number of bodily functions, such as the body’s ability to manage stress and regulate blood pressure. Most adrenal tumors are benign, meaning they are not cancer, and are known as adenomas.
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), we treat adrenal cancer using a multi-faceted approach. A team of experts may perform a variety of imaging and laboratory tests, such as CT scans, MRI or ultrasound, to accurately diagnose and stage the disease. These same tests may be used to monitor the response to treatment and modify treatment plans accordingly. As part of our whole-person care model, our hospitals and outpatient clinics integrate an array of supportive care therapies—nutrition therapy, pain management, chiropractic services and individual and group counseling, for example—to help manage cancer’s physical and psychological side effects.
Your CTCA® doctors will evaluate a variety of factors when developing your treatment plan, taking into account the adrenal tumor’s size and location, among other considerations. This information will help your care team develop a comprehensive care plan, tailored to your specific needs and designed to treat the tumor while also helping you manage related side effects. The common treatments for adrenal cancer include:
Surgery
Surgery is used to treat all stages of adrenal cancer. Options vary based on the stage of the disease.
Chemotherapy
In some cases of advanced adrenal cancer, chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery to destroy cancer cells or keep them from growing and spreading.
Radiation therapy
Radiation—to shrink or destroy cancer cells unable to be removed during surgery—is often recommended following surgery in patients with advanced adrenal cancer.
Surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation to treat adrenal cancer may affect patients’ quality of life. Common side effects during treatment may include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, hair loss, pain and a decreased appetite. Our supportive care professionals are available to help patients manage both the physical and psychological impacts of cancer treatment.
Because the adrenal glands produce regulatory hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisone, many adrenal cancer symptoms are related to hormone imbalances resulting from tumors secreting too much or too little of a particular hormone.
Symptoms vary depending on the size and stage of the tumor and the kind of hormone secreted. Warning signs of adrenal cancer are rarely obvious, or symptoms that may seem unrelated to the cancer, making this disease difficult to diagnose at an early stage. Blood and urine tests may help detect elevated hormone levels, though physicians more often find an adrenal tumor during a scan for an unrelated condition. The vast majority of adrenal gland tumors are benign, meaning they are not cancer.
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