Adrenal Tumors USMLE & NCLEX Question

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06/15/23

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.