Adrenal Tumor

Overview

An adrenal tumor is a growth in the adrenal gland, which sits atop each kidney. Most adrenal tumors are benign and hormonally inactive, and many are discovered incidentally during imaging performed for an unrelated reason.

Symptoms

●Often no symptoms if the tumor isn't hormonally active

●High blood pressure, if hormone-secreting

●Unexplained weight changes

●Episodes of rapid heartbeat or sweating

●Abdominal or flank discomfort if the tumor is large

Causes

The cause is often unclear for individual cases; some adrenal tumors are linked to inherited genetic syndromes.

Risk Factors

Family history of endocrine syndromes — Raises the likelihood of a hormonally active tumor.

Increased imaging use — More adrenal tumors are being found incidentally as CT/MRI scanning has become more common.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves CT or MRI imaging to characterize the tumor, along with hormone blood and urine tests to determine whether it's functioning.

Complications If Untreated

A hormonally active tumor left untreated can cause ongoing blood pressure or metabolic problems; larger tumors carry a small but real risk of malignancy.

Prevention Tips

There's no known way to prevent adrenal tumors from forming; the focus is on appropriate follow-up once one is found.

Lifestyle Advice

Keeping up with recommended follow-up imaging for an incidentally found adrenal tumor is the most useful step a patient can take.