Adrenal cancer treatment

Adrenal gland cancer is a malignant disease characterized by the development of a neoplasm in one or both organs at once. It can be primary - the tumor originates from the cells of the brain or epithelial layer of the adrenal gland, or secondary - a metastasis of cancer of another location, in particular the lungs, stomach, pancreas, colon, kidneys, melanoma or lymphoma.

Metastatic damage to the adrenal glands occurs much more often than primary cancer. Its prevalence is 1-2 cases per 1 million people. At this time, benign tumors, on the contrary, are common - they are diagnosed in 5% of men and women. Usually they do not disrupt the functioning of the glands and are detected by chance during diagnosis for another reason. Histological analysis allows you to distinguish them from malignant ones.

With early diagnosis, adrenal gland cancer is successfully treated. If it is a metastasis, the prognosis depends on the underlying disease.

Oxford Medical is a large medical center with a modern oncology department and a high-tech surgical hospital. The clinic employs some of the best oncologists and surgeons in Kyiv and Ukraine with many years of experience, and new expert-class equipment has been installed. Thanks to this, the clinic has all the conditions for accurate diagnostics and effective treatment.

At Oxford Medical, oncology is treated by doctors with more than 20 years of experience. The clinic has all the conditions for thorough diagnostics and comprehensive therapy, including a high-tech surgical hospital.

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There are 4 main stages of adrenal cancer:

• Stage 1 – the size of the neoplasm is less than 5 cm, it is localized in the organ, the lymph nodes are not damaged;
• Stage 2 – the size of the tumor is more than 5 cm, but it does not go beyond the adrenal glands;
• Stage 3 – the size of the tumor is more than 5 cm, it grows into neighboring organs, affects the lymph nodes;
• Stage 4 – the tumor spreads to neighboring organs and gives distant metastases.

This division is relative. To determine the stage of cancer, oncologists use the international TNM classification system, which involves a separate assessment of three parameters: tumor size, lymph node involvement, and the presence and number of metastases.

According to studies, in 15% of cases, the cause of adrenal cancer is genetic disorders. In other patients, the disease develops as a metastasis or as a result of cell mutation triggered by risk factors.

These include:

• hereditary predisposition;
• congenital anomalies of the adrenal glands;
• injuries in the lumbar region;
• operations on the adrenal glands;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• immune disorders;
• hypertension;
• increased excitability of the nervous system;
• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• unbalanced diet;
• interaction with toxic substances;
• unfavorable environmental conditions.

For prevention, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle, regularly undergo preventive examinations and timely treat all diseases.

To diagnose the disease, the patient may be prescribed:

• US ultrasound of the adrenal glands;
• CT or MRI of the adrenal glands with contrast;
• blood tests for hormones (testosterone, androstenedione, cortisol, ACTH, DHEA-sulfate, 17-OPH and others);
• biopsy of the neoplasm - taking a tissue sample by puncturing the adrenal gland with a thin needle;
• histological analysis - assessing the morphological features of the cells to determine whether they are benign or malignant.

Patients are also recommended to have a CT scan of the brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis to rule out the presence of other tumors.