Adrenal cancer is a rare condition that affects the adrenal glands located just above the kidneys. Most of the time, it is not detected at its most treatable, early stages when the cancer has not yet spread beyond the gland itself. This is usually an aggressive disease that spreads quickly to other organs within the abdomen as well as to the lungs, liver and bones. The three kinds of cancerous adrenal tumors include adrenal cortical carcinomas, neuroblastomas and pheochromocytomas. In most cases, these tumors stimulate the adrenal gland to overproduce certain hormones, which in turn causes symptoms such as early puberty or those associated with Cushing’s syndrome. Depending on whether a tumor stimulates additional hormone production or not, some typical symptoms of a malignant mass can include abnormal hair growth in women, excessive thirst, high blood pressure, breast growth in boys, early puberty in both boys and girls, impotence in men, abnormal periods in women, a deepening voice and severe acne. Pain may also be associated with an adrenal tumor when it presses on another organ. Treatment for a cancerous adrenal tumor that has not yet spread beyond the gland calls for its immediate surgical excision, while treatment for metastatic lesions that have spread beyond the gland will depend upon numerous factors, including which organs are affected and to what extent. Anti-hormone therapy, systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy may otherwise be provided.
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