Gary D. Hammer, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Endocrine Oncology Program, discusses the incidence of adrenal cancer.

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:45 Types of Adrenal gland disorders
1:28 Causes of Adrenal gland disorders
1:52 Symptoms of Adrenal gland disorders
2:37 Diagnosis of Adrenal gland disorders
3:09 Treatment of Adrenal gland disorders



Adrenal gland disorders (or diseases) are conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of the adrenal glands.[1] Adrenal disorders may cause hyperfunction or hypofunction, and may be congenital or acquired.

The adrenal gland produces hormones that affects growth, development and stress, and also helps to regulate kidney function. There are two parts of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex produces mineralocorticoids, which regulate salt and water balance within the body, glucocorticoids (including cortisol) which have a wide number of roles within the body, and androgens, hormones with testosterone-like function.[2] The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline).[2] Disorders of the adrenal gland may affect the production of one or more of these hormones. Adrenal adenoma, a benign tumor of the adrenal gland which may result in overproduction of one or more adrenal hormones, or may be inactive
Adrenocortical carcinoma, cancer of the adrenal cortex
Adrenal incidentaloma, an adrenal tumor (of any type) discovered accidentally during a scan which performed for an unrelated reason
Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-producing tumor of the adrenal medulla, which may or may not be cancerous

So this topic is about adrenal tumors and some of the really common questions that they actually test on step 1 and Nclex. So before anything starts off on, just the basics of physiology, what pituitary gland does is that it releases hormones, one of the hormones it releases is ACTH. Now, what does ACTH do? It goes to both of your adrenal glands, adrenal glands one and adrenal glands two. And once it goes to the adrenal gland what does it do? It helps actually stimulate the release of cortisol and aldosterone on both sides. Now, not only does it stimulate the release of hormones, it actually causes the growth of cells, especially the cells and the glands here. This, basically endocrine gland requires ACTH to remain alive and to grow. Okay, so there are two things that ACTH is doing,
it is actually inhibiting apoptosis, and
actually causing the gland to grow more or to proliferate and to stay alive.

The tumour size was 6.5 cm in diameter and it was dissected using laparoscopy. It was place in a bag and removed by extending the umbilical port incision.