Adrenal Tumor Patients Need the Multidisciplinary Care Roswell Park Provides

Adrenal cortical carcinomas are rare, diagnosed in only one or two people per million annually, but are also more likely to be found at a later state because they are largely asymptomatic.

Any adrenal nodule measuring 1 centimeter or larger should be tested quickly for a variety of factors, including whether the nodule is benign or malignant, says Sara Abou Azar, a surgical endocrinologist at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Typically, patients with adrenal cortical carcinomas present with nodules measuring 4-6 centimeters, meaning their cancer is advanced, she says. “Cures are only an option for early stage 1 cancer and it can be very aggressive. These cancers require multimodal management and, unfortunately, their prognosis is dismal, that’s why they’re best treated at a multidisciplinary cancer center such as Roswell Park.”

Adrenal nodules are unlikely to cause any symptoms “unless they grow large enough to cause pain or mass effect,” including excessive secretions of aldosterone, which is linked to hypertension; metanepherines and normetanepherines, linked to high blood pressure, occasional heart palpitations, headaches and excessive sweating; or excessive cortisol secretion, associated with weight gain, the development of diabetes and increased bruising.

When a nodule is in excess of 1 centimeter and other symptoms are identified, biochemical and imaging tests are required, Dr. Abou Azar says. If a patient has a family history of adrenal cancer, it’s time to call in an expert like the doctors at Roswell Park, who have the multidisciplinary access and practice to provide care for these rare and aggressive cancers.