Adrenal cancer may masquerade as Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome

There is nothing superfluous in the human body, every person, especially those who have a medical education, must have heard such a phrase in their life. The human body was thought out in such a way that all its systems and organs interact with each other, and the disruption of the normal operation of any of the structures affects the state of the whole organism. Such a small organ as the adrenal glands plays a very important role in human life, because without the hormones it produces, the body cannot function normally. The adrenal glands are not superfluous, but the development of their neoplasm may become superfluous. What are the symptoms of adrenal cancer – read on.

Main clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of adrenal cancer

Adrenal gland cancer is not as common as oncopathology of other organs of the human body, but it is no less dangerous and life-threatening disease. Adrenal cancer, which develops from the cortical substance of the organ, in most cases is represented by corticosteroma – a malignant tumor that produces corticosteroids in excess. This oncological pathology can occur in people of completely different ages: both children and adults are ill. At the same time, girls and women are 6 times more susceptible to this type of adrenal cancer than males.

Adrenal Cancer:

• Itsenko-Cushing syndrome – characteristic manifestation of adrenal cancer;
• laboratory and instrumental methods for diagnosing adrenal cancer;
• adrenal cancer treatment: how to eliminate a malignant tumor.

Itsenko-Cushing Syndrome – characteristic manifestation of adrenal cancer

The most typical clinical syndrome that occurs with adrenal cancer that develops from the cortical substance is hypercortisolism or Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome.   This specific clinical syndrome includes the following main symptoms:

• obesity;
• arterial hypertension;
• premature appearance of secondary sexual characteristics in children, such as deepening of the voice, hair growth in hormone-dependent areas, development of mammary glands in girls, enlargement of the clitoris and penis. A characteristic feature is that the size of the internal genital organs correspond to the age of the child;
• menstrual irregularities: amenorrhea or opsomenorrhea;
• specific stretch marks on the patient's abdomen, called striae.

Laboratory and instrumental methods for diagnosing adrenal cancer

The diagnostic process of adrenal cancer, which develops from the cortical substance of the organ, is based on anamnestic data, the presence of characteristic complaints and signs of pathology that are detected during an objective examination of the patient, as well as on the results of laboratory and instrumental research methods. With corticosteroma, specific changes are observed in the results of the patient's laboratory tests: there is an almost 50-fold increase in the content of 17-ketosteroids in the urine, and the urinary excretion of estrogen and oxycorticosteroids also increases. In the patient's blood plasma, an increased concentration of 11-hydroxycorticosteroids is observed. With the help of instrumental research methods, such as ultrasonography and computed tomography, it is possible to visualize the adrenal gland and volume formation in it, clarify the relationship of the tumor with surrounding tissues. Magnetic resonance imaging can detect metastases of a malignant neoplasm in regional lymph nodes.

Treatment of adrenal cancer: how to eliminate a malignant tumor

The only most effective treatment for adrenal cancer that develops from its cortex is radical surgery. The patient is undergoing a radical adrenalectomy – an operation to remove the affected adrenal gland along with the neoplasm. In the postoperative period, hormone replacement therapy is recommended to prevent the occurrence of acute adrenal insufficiency. A feature of the treatment of adrenal cancer is the lack of recommendations for radiation and chemotherapy, since such tumors are insensitive to radiation and cytostatics. However, the early detection of adrenal cancer and the timely elimination of all pathological lesions can significantly prolong the life of the patient.