MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Adrenocortical carcinoma

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Adrenocortical carcinoma

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms	Signs and tests Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider

Illustrations

Endocrine glands

Adrenal metastases, CT scan

Adrenal Tumor - CT

Alternative names Return to top

Tumor - adrenal

Definition Return to top

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a malignant tumor of the adrenal glands.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Adrenocortical carcinomas can produce the hormones cortisol or aldosterone. The disease is most common in two age groups: children younger than 5 years old, and adults in their 30s and 40s.

Adrenocortical carcinoma may be associated with an inherited cancer syndrome. Both men and women develop this tumor. In women it is more often a functional tumor (secretes hormones).

The cause is unknown. The incidence is about 2 per million.

Symptoms Return to top

Findings suggestive of increased cortisol production:

Flushed rounded face with pudgy cheeks (moon face)
Obesity
Buffalo hump: rounded fatty hump high on the back just below the neck
Short stature: impaired linear growth, may be less than 5th percentile
Virilization: increased body hair (hypertrichosis), especially on face, pubic hair, acne, deepening of voice, enlarged clitoris (girls)

Findings suggestive of increased aldosterone production are symptoms of low potassium (weakness, muscle cramps, increased thirst, and urination).

Signs and tests Return to top

High blood pressure
High serum cortisol levels
Low serum ACTH
Low serum potassium
High serum aldosterone
CT scan of the abdomen (may demonstrate a mass in the adrenal gland)
Abdominal X-ray
Abdominal MRI (may demonstrate a mass in the adrenal gland)

Treatment Return to top

Primary treatment consists of surgical removal of the tumor. Adrenocortical carcinoma may not respond well to chemotherapy. Medications may be given to reduce production of cortisol which is responsible for many of the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

The outcome is dependent on how early the diagnosis is made and whether the tumor has spread (metastasized). Metastatic tumors are often fatal within a few years.

Complications Return to top

A complication is metastasis (frequently to the liver, bone, and lung).

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call your health care provider if you or your child has symptoms of adrenocortical carcinoma, Cushing's syndrome, or failure to grow.

Update Date: 8/18/2003

Updated by: Corey Cutler, M.D., M.P.H., F.R.C.P.C., Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Instructor in Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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