Do you have an idea as to what are adrenal tumors are? You are in luck because you found the right article that you would want to have enraged if you want to find out more about the real nature of the adrenal tumors. We will try to help you by giving you all the information that we can do in order for you to understand what these conditions are and how you can treat them properly.
However, let us first define what adrenal glands are. By doing this, we will further understand that the underlying conditions that affect the adrenal gland.
The Adrenal Glands Defined
These organs are for two glands that are approximately two and half by 1 inch long. They have yellowish-orange colors and can be found just above your kidneys. The main function of these organs would be to protect the body against stress.
These organs do it through the secretion of different types of hormones that will affect the body positively. Now that you know the basic information about the adrenal gland, we can now proceed to the main topic of the article which is the adrenal tumors.
Adrenal Tumors
These types of tumors may arise from the cortex or the medulla that can be found in the adrenal gland itself. This can produce excess secretions of steroids that may affect the body negatively. There are two types of steroidal hormones that the tumors may produce. These are as follows: we
- Aldosterone (cortex): may cause Conn’s Syndrome
- Catecholamines (medulla): Pheochromocytoma
- Other steroid secretions can cause Cushing’s syndrome.
In addition to this the tumors may be benign or malignant. This may depend on a series of test results that can determine the severity of the condition for certain. This is why you have to get yourself checked by the medical experts so that you can be sure about the malignancy of your condition if ever you are diagnosed with this condition.
Presentation (Symptoms)
This disease may present itself in various ways as follows.
- First, it may show itself in the CT Scans in the form of excessive swelling in the adrenal glands.
- Secondly, symptoms may manifest because of hormonal secretions that can affect the body in different ways.
The symptoms may vary depending on what kind of hormone is secreted by the body. Some of those hormones that can be produced have been mentioned above.
Treatment
One of the many treatments that you can do for this condition would be to first observe it without any surgery. This way, the doctors can detect if there are any larger tumors present. In case of a larger to tumor, surgery is recommended.
There are two types of surgery that can be performed to remove the tumor. These are as follows:
- Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy: this can be done for tumors that measure less than 10 cm
- Open Adrenalectomy: the procedure can be done for those who are suspected to have the beginnings of adrenal cancer.
- Both adrenal glands can be removed through surgery if there is already an infection in both adrenal glands. This can cause various adrenal diseases as mentioned above.
Remember that tumors that are more than 4 cm in width and height should be removed as soon as possible. These are just some of the details that to need to know about adrenal tumors. We hope that the article helps you understand the nature of the deceased and how you can effectively treat it at all with your doctors.