Finding adrenal gland cancer early

Last medical review:

When adrenal gland cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better. Get regular health checkups and see your doctor if you have any symptoms or are worried about your health.

You have a higher risk of developing adrenal gland cancer if you have a family history of the disease or one of the following hereditary disorders:

  • multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)
  • multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)
  • von Hippel­-Lindau (VHL) syndrome
  • neurofibromatosis type 1 (also called von Recklinghausen disease)
  • Li-Fraumeni syndrome
  • Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
  • Carney complex
  • familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)

You may need a personal plan for testing if you have a higher than average risk for adrenal gland cancer. Talk to your doctor or a genetic counsellor. They may recommend tests that can help find adrenal gland cancer early.

Expert review and references

  • Canadian Cancer Society | Société canadienne du cancer
  • Marcondes Lerario A, Mohan DR, Jolly S, Else T, Hammer GD. Adrenal tumours. DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg S. eds. DeVita Hellman and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2023: Kindle version, chapter 56, https://read.amazon.ca/?asin=B0BG3DPT4Q&language=en-CA.
  • Stewart AA, Story ES. Adrenal neoplasms. Raghavan D, Ahluwalia MS, Blanke CD, et al, eds.. Textbook of Uncommon Cancer. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell; 2017: Kindle version, 47, https://read.amazon.ca/?asin=B06XKD44V3&_encoding=UTF8&ref=dbs_p_ebk_r00_pbcb_rnvc00.

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