Adrenal tumor is a pathological growth of adrenal tissue (cortical or medullary layer), in which changed cells have arisen, which have become atypical in terms of differentiation, the nature of growth, and the production of hormones. The prevalence of pathology is different since it depends on the type of tumor.

Adrenal surgery done by experts can help deal with this condition. Adrenocortical cancer occurs in 1-2 cases per million people. Currently, there is no reliable statistical information on the prevalence of benign tumors. All age and sex groups of the population are susceptible to the disease, but the peak incidence falls on 30-40 years.

Adrenal Tumor Symptoms

Benign neoplasms often clinically do not cause any symptoms, since they do not produce hormones and are small. Malignant tumors are manifested by symptoms characteristic of a malignant tumor of any other localization:

• cachexia (wasting);
• intoxication (joint pain, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite);
• systemic inflammatory reaction (fever, leukocytosis, shortness of breath, tachycardia);
• anemia;
• swelling;
• pain and symptoms of metastasis (in later stages).

Of greatest interest are hormone-active tumors, since in the clinical course, diagnosis, and treatment tactics, they differ significantly from malignant tumors, which in any case are subject to surgical treatment.

Adrenal Tumor Treatment

The approach to the treatment of adrenal gland tumors is complex:

• the operative method provides local access and macroscopic removal of the determining elements that are in the surgeon’s field of vision;
• radiation and chemotherapy at a microscopic level affect the entire body and all cells in general.

This allows you to influence all links in the pathogenesis of the disease. You should note that radiation and chemotherapy have many complications since they act not only on tumor cells but also on healthy cells. However, there is such a modern method as adjuvant chemotherapy, which accumulates chemotherapy in the area of ​​pathological tissue proliferation.

Drug therapy is carried out when there are contraindications for surgery. Also, this method of treatment is used as a temporary preoperative therapy to correct hemodynamic disorders and electrolyte imbalance. Only surgical treatment is radical. It has fewer complications compared to targeted and radiation therapy.

Surgical treatment for benign tumors is performed in the volume of adrenalectomy (removal of the adrenal gland). For malignant tumors, adrenalectomy and removal of local lymph nodes are performed. Before surgery, chemotherapy may be given to reduce the number of atypical cells, and hence the size of the tumor.

After removal of the neoplasm, the patient is under the supervision of an oncologist and an endocrinologist, as he may need replacement therapy. If both adrenal glands are removed, then replacement therapy is prescribed in 100% of cases. Recovery of the patient after removal of the adrenal gland for benign surgeries occurs within 1-2 months. With both adrenal glands removed, rehabilitation takes a little longer and is accompanied by lifelong hormone replacement therapy.…