{"id":1296,"date":"2022-08-25T12:32:52","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T12:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/?p=1296"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:05:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:05:20","slug":"adrenal-adenoma-symptoms-treatment-and-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/adrenal-adenoma-symptoms-treatment-and-outlook\/","title":{"rendered":"Adrenal Adenoma: Symptoms and Treatment Options"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An adrenal gland tumor, or an adrenal adenoma, is a noncancerous mass that may grow in the adrenal glands, and it\u2019s the most common adrenal mass.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most of these growths need no treatment and produce little to no symptoms. In some cases, however, an adrenal adenoma may interfere with hormone production, making the body produce more cortisol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this article, we\u2019ll cover everything readers need to know about cysts on the adrenal gland, learn about the signs, and when there\u2019s a need for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/surgical-oncology\/endocrine-cancer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">endocrine tumor operation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Role of The Adrenal Glands<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These small, triangular glands are found atop the kidneys and are responsible for secreting the hormones that help with the body\u2019s stress response. Also, these glands produce hormones that help regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and other essential functions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These glands are comprised of two separate parts, the adrenal medulla, and the adrenal cortex. The latter secretes aldosterone and cortisol, while the adrenal medulla is responsible for epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine production.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adrenal adenomas usually occur in the adrenal cortex, mainly without any symptoms, and they won\u2019t require medical attention.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1298 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands.jpg\" alt=\"Doctor and Patient Discussing Something While Sitting at the Table\" width=\"1000\" height=\"761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-200x152.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-400x304.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-600x457.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-768x584.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands-800x609.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/The-Role-of-The-Adrenal-Glands.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Types of Adrenal Masses<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are two distinct types of adrenal gland tumors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Active or functioning adrenal adenomas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which make the glands secrete more hormones, often causing symptoms that may need treatment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Inactive or nonfunctioning adrenal adenomas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which do not interfere with hormone production. These are the most common and require no treatment, and neither they produce any symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Can An Adrenal Mass Become Cancerous?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rarely, adrenal adenomas may form into cancer, more specifically, adrenocortical carcinoma. If they are functioning carcinomas, they will also make the glands produce more hormones and may cause similar symptoms as functioning, benign adrenal masses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, as stated above, adrenocortical carcinoma is really rare: only around one in a million people will develop it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Effects of Adrenal Adenoma<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anyone can develop these masses, and around 3% to 9% of the general population has it. As mentioned above, nonfunctioning cysts on the adrenal gland are usually much less concerning and don\u2019t interfere with hormone production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Functioning growths, on the other hand, do interfere and may lead to adrenal disorders such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hypercortisolism or Cushing\u2019s syndrome: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This happens when much cortisol gets released into the body. Adrenal gland tumor symptoms, in this case, may include sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and high blood pressure and may put patients at a higher risk of developing diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Conn\u2019s syndrome or primary aldosteronism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This occurs when the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone. The signs of this condition include high blood pressure, low levels of potassium, muscle weakness, headaches, and fatigue.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In some cases, cysts on the adrenal glands may increase the secretion of sex hormones <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as well. In women, this may lead to hirsutism (excess body hair growth) and irregular periods. In males, the increased estrogen levels may lead to erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual desire.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Adrenal Gland Tumor Symptoms and Causes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As mentioned above, based on the hormones being released in excess, active adrenal masses may cause several symptoms, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weak muscles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">High blood sugar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hugh blood pressure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Low potassium levels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Weigh gain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mood changes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abdominal stretch marks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Irregular periods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virilization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Low sex drive<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Erectile dysfunction<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Causes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Experts aren\u2019t exactly sure what causes these masses or other benign growths on the adrenal glands, for that matter. Still, scientists agree that there are specific genetic conditions that may increase the risks, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Familia adenomatous polyposis (FAP)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Type 1 multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN1)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Type 2 endocrine neoplasia (MEN2)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carney complex<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Type 1 neurofibromatosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Li-Fraumeni syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tobacco use and being overweight may also increase the chances of developing adrenal adenomas.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Diagnosing Adrenal Masses<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In most cases, these benign growths are discovered during imaging procedures for other medical conditions or concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When the imaging shows a growth on the adrenal gland, doctors must first see whether the mass is cancerous or not. In the case of adrenal adenoma, doctors will also see whether the glands secrete excess hormones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When diagnosing adrenal adenoma, medical experts may advise the following tests:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Urine and blood tests: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To make sure there aren\u2019t any elevated hormone levels that may signalize a functioning growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Imaging: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In most cases, adrenal adenomas are diagnosed with CT scans and MRIs. Imaging can also help determine whether the mass is cancerous or benign (malignant growths tend to be larger).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Biopsy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gathering tissue from the growth to see whether it\u2019s adrenal adenoma or cancer.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treating Adrenal Masses<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best course of treatment will depend on whether the tumor is functioning or not. Small, nonfunctioning tumors may only require regular scanning to ensure the growth doesn\u2019t grow and start to interfere with hormone production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the tumor gets bigger than 5 centimeters, doctors might recommend surgical removal because rapid-growing, large growths may increase the likelihood of becoming malignant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For functioning tumors, surgery is almost always the option, but the treatments may also include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Removal of the adrenal gland or adrenalectomy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">medical experts may recommend removing the glands with the help of laparoscopy in the case of being, small tumors. In the case of larger and probably cancerous tumors, more elaborate surgery is needed. Lather, the remaining adrenal gland may be able to produce enough hormones to keep everything in check. If not, additional hormone therapy will be needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Medications:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If surgery isn\u2019t an option, the healthcare provider may prescribe specific drugs that prevent the adrenal mass from forcing the glands to produce more hormones than necessary. As mentioned above, medications may also be recommended following surgery to stabilize hormone levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1299 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses.jpg\" alt=\"Concept Photo of Adrenal Surgery, Operation of Adrenalectomy or Removal\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/132\/2022\/09\/Treating-Adrenal-Masses.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Prevention<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, there aren\u2019t any prevention methods for these masses. Also, the associated risks are often gene-related, but people may develop adrenal adenomas even if they have no family history of these benign tumors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, treatment outcomes regarding <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/treatments\/15616-adrenalectomy-adrenal-gland-removal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">adrenalectomy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are usually excellent and removing the adrenal gland that\u2019s affected often eliminates the uncomfortable symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the case of nonfunctioning growths, patients will usually be recommended periodic imaging tests and\/or hormone testing to monitor the status of the masses. This way, if the tumor, by any chance, starts to grow rapidly and becomes too large, the doctors can take the necessary steps in time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Opt for Exceptional Care<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even if you get diagnosed with an adrenal gland tumor during an imaging procedure, you shouldn\u2019t get overly alarmed or scared. In most cases, these are benign and completely harmless masses. Sometimes, they may interfere with hormone production, in which case, doctors will usually recommend surgery to remove the affected gland. Adrenalectomies are successful in the vast majority of cases and will help solve the problem. And, if you need additional hormone therapy, your doctor will ensure that you will live a healthy and happy life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That being said, exceptional care and experience are all essential in managing these growths. Feel free to reach out to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/omar-rashid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dr. Omar Rashid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and schedule an appointment to learn more about adrenal masses.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An adrenal gland tumor, or an adrenal adenoma, is a noncancerous mass that may grow in the adrenal glands, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[103,100,101,102,104],"class_list":["post-1296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adrenal-adenoma","tag-adrenal-adenoma","tag-adrenal-gland-tumor","tag-adrenal-gland-tumor-symptoms","tag-adrenal-mass","tag-cyst-on-adrenal-gland"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/omar-rashid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}