Adrenal cortex cancer explained

Tests establish whether the tumour releases hormones, whether it has spread and whether surgery could remove it. These results allow specialists to design an individual treatment plan.

The adrenal cortex normally produces hormones involved in blood pressure, salt balance, stress responses and sex characteristics. A functioning tumour can release too much of one or more hormones. Possible effects include new difficult-to-control blood pressure, muscle weakness, easy bruising, body-shape changes, altered hair growth or menstrual changes.

A non-functioning tumour may first cause abdominal or back discomfort, a sense of fullness, reduced appetite or an unexpected scan finding. These symptoms have many non-cancerous causes; their presence alone does not identify adrenal cortex cancer.

Evaluation commonly combines adrenal-hormone blood or urine tests with detailed imaging of the abdomen and other relevant areas. Pathologists examine removed tumour tissue when available. Biopsy is not automatically the first test for a suspected adrenal-cortex tumour, so its role should be decided by an experienced team.

Tumour-removal surgery is often considered when the cancer appears removable. Medicines, including chemotherapy in some situations, may be discussed for disease that has spread, returned or cannot be removed. Hormone-blocking treatment and medicines for blood pressure or electrolyte problems can also form part of care.

Tell the treating team promptly about marked weakness, repeated vomiting, new swelling, severe headache with very high blood pressure symptoms, or a rapid change in hormone-related features. Seek emergency help for fainting, confusion, chest pain, severe shortness of breath or collapse. Sudden hormone or salt-balance disturbances require timely assessment.

Ask which hormones the tumour is producing, what the scans show about nearby structures, and whether surgery aims to remove the entire visible tumour. Also clarify how hormone levels will be managed around treatment, what follow-up testing is planned and which symptoms should trigger an urgent call.