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Adenoma of the adrenal gland
Other Names for this Disease
- Adrenal adenoma
- Adrenal cortical adenoma
- Adrenal incidentaloma
- Adrenocortical adenoma
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Overview
An adenoma of the adrenal gland is a non-cancerous (benign) tumor on the adrenal gland. It can develop at any age but is more common in people between the ages of 40 and 60; people over age 70 are at significantly higher risk. It typically causes no complications, but in some cases, can cause severe problems. Sometimes these tumors become "active" or "functioning" which means they produce hormones, often in excess of what the adrenal glands typically produce. This can have negative effects on an individual's health, potentially causing primary aldosteronism, Cushing's syndrome and other medical conditions. Most benign adrenal tumors are non-functioning and do not need immediate treatment, but some may become functioning and require treatment including medications or surgery.[1]
References
- Benign Adrenal Tumors. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.org/benign-adrenal-tumor/. Accessed October 24, 2011.
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General Information
- The Mayo Clinic has an information page titled "Benign Adrenal Tumors" on its Web site. Click on the link above to view this page.
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