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  3. Adrenocortical carcinoma
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Adrenocortical carcinoma


Title


Other Names:
ACC
Categories:
Blood Diseases; Endocrine Diseases; Female Reproductive Diseases; Blood Diseases; Endocrine Diseases; Female Reproductive Diseases; Kidney and Urinary Diseases; Male Reproductive Diseases; Rare Cancers See More

Summary Summary


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Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare cancer affecting the outside of the adrenal glands (adrenal cortex). These glands are on top of each kidney and are responsible for producing certain hormones and keeping blood pressure at normal levels. Adrenocortical carcinoma is relatively frequent in children compared to many other cancers, although the cancer may also affect adults. Girls are more often affected than boys. Symptoms of adrenocortical carcinoma may include pain in the abdomen, hypertension, weight gain, frequent urination and possibly deepening of the voice. These symptoms are due to the tumors causing excess secretion of hormones from the adrenal glands.[1]

Adrenocortical carcinoma may develop by chance alone, but at least 50% of the cancers are thought to be hereditary. There are a number of genes that have changes (mutations) that can cause an adrenocortical carcinoma, including TP53 and IGF2. There have been reports of both autosomal dominant inheritance and autosomal recessive inheritance.[2]

An adrenocortical carcinoma is diagnosed based on urine tests for abnormal levels of cortisol, the hormone released by the adrenal glands. Blood tests can also be conducted to measure levels of potassium and sodium in the blood. A CT scan or MRI may be used to search for a visible tumor in the adrenal cortex. Treatment options include surgical removal of the tumor, which is important to achieve a good long-term outlook. Chemotherapy, specifically a drug called mitotane, can be used to try to remove any remaining cancer after surgery.[1][3] 
Last updated: 9/8/2016

Symptoms Symptoms


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This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 26 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
100% of people have these symptoms
Adrenocortical carcinoma 0006744
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain
Pain in stomach
Stomach pain
[ more ]
0002027
Abnormal serum dehydroepiandrosterone level 0500022
Abnormality of reproductive system physiology
Genital functional abnormality
0000080
Adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency 0011748
Anxiety
Excessive, persistent worry and fear
0000739
Diabetes mellitus 0000819
Elevated serum 11-deoxycortisol 0025436
Hyperaldosteronism
Elevated plasma aldosterone
Increased aldosterone
Increased aldosterone production
[ more ]
0000859
Hyperhidrosis
Excessive sweating
Increased sweating
Profuse sweating
Sweating
Sweating profusely
Sweating, increased
[ more ]
0000975
Hypertension 0000822
Hypertrichosis 0000998
Hypokalemia
Low blood potassium levels
0002900
Increased body weight 0004324
Increased serum androstenedione 0025380
Increased serum estradiol 0025134
Increased urinary cortisol level
High urine cortisol level
0012030
Irritability
Irritable
0000737
Lung adenocarcinoma 0030078
Muscle weakness
Muscular weakness
0001324
Palpitations
Missed heart beat
Skipped heart beat
[ more ]
0001962
Panic attack 0025269
Paradoxical increased cortisol secretion on dexamethasone suppression test 0003466
Striae distensae
Stretch marks
0001065
Weight loss 0001824
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Showing of 26 |
Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.
Last updated: 4/1/2018
Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist


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If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

  • To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from Genetics Home Reference.

Research Research


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Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Adrenocortical carcinoma. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Organizations Organizations


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Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

  • Kidney Cancer Association
    1234 Sherman Avenue
    Suite 203
    Evanston, IL 60202-1375
    Toll-free: 800-850-9132;
    Telephone: 312-436-1455
    Fax: 512-327-7002
    E-mail: office@kidneycancer.org
    http://KidneyCancer.org
  • Rare Cancer Alliance
    1649 North Pacana Way
    Green Valley, AZ 85614
    Telephone: 520-625-5495
    Website: http://www.rare-cancer.org
  • The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
    1010 Wayne Avenue
    Suite 770
    Silver Spring, MD 20910
    Toll-free: 888-650-9127
    Telephone: 301-650-9127
    Fax: 301-565-9670
    E-mail: info@canceradvocacy.org
    Website: http://www.canceradvocacy.org

Organizations Providing General Support

  • American Cancer Society
    250 Williams Street NW
    Atlanta, GA 30329
    Toll-free: 800-227-2345
    Website: http://www.cancer.org
  • Cancer Hope Network
    2 North Road, Suite A
    Chester, NJ 07930
    Toll-free: 800-552-4366
    Telephone: 908-879-4039
    Fax: 908-879-6518
    E-mail: info@cancerhopenetwork.org/
    Website: http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org/
  • CancerCare
    275 Seventh Ave, Floor 22
    New York, NY 10001
    Toll-free: 800-813-HOPE
    Fax: 212-712-8495
    E-mail: info@cancercare.org
    Website: http://www.cancercare.org/
Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Learn More Learn More


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These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
    Adrenal Carcinoma
    Adrenal Carcinoma Imaging
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Adrenocortical carcinoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

News & Events News & Events


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News

  • National DNA Day Reddit "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) Series
    April 11, 2018

GARD Answers GARD Answers


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Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References


  1. Dr. Bernadette Brennan. Adrenocortical carcinoma. Orphanet; June 2007; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Expert=1501.
  2. Victor A. McKusick and George E. Tiller. Adrenocortical Carcinoma, Hereditary; ADCC. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man; November 21, 2011; http://www.omim.org/entry/202300.
  3. Adrenocortical Carcinoma Treatment. National Cancer Institute; May 27, 2016; http://www.cancer.gov/types/adrenocortical/patient/adrenocortical-treatment-pdq.
Do you know of a review article? We want to hear from you.
You can help advance
rare disease research!
You can help advance rare disease research!
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