Adrenal Cortical Cancer

Adrenal cortical cancer (also known as adrenal cortex carcinoma) affects the adrenal gland, which produces adrenaline, noradrenaline, and steroid hormones. It is extremely rare, with fewer than 500 new diagnoses per year in the United States. Risk factors for adrenal cortical cancer are not known. It is not associated with typical carcinogens, such as smoking, and the disease does not run in families. Survival rates vary depending on the stage of discovery, but the average five-year survival rate is around 40%. Adrenal cortical cancer affects adults and children and is often discovered when the tumor causes excess secretion of hormones. Symptoms of adrenal cortical cancer include the development of nonstandard sex characteristics and early puberty in children. The stages of adrenal cortical cancer range from I to IV depending on tumor size and spread. The most common treatment for adrenal cortical cancer is surgery, followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation.