Anaplastic Adrenal Cancer

• Publish Date: 2009/04/01 - (Rev. 2015/12/23)
• Author: Sally Rider

Outline: Anaplastic Adrenal Cancer is a sub-type of adrenal cancer which shows virtually no cellular differentiation.

Main Digest

Adrenocortical cancers (ACs) are uncommon malignancies that can have protean clinical manifestations. Adrenocortical masses are common; autopsy studies show that approximately 5-15% of the general adult population may have adrenal incidentalomas.

Adrenocortical Cancer Alternate Names:

• Adrenal Carcinoma
• Anaplastic Adrenal Cancer
• Adrenocortical carcinoma
• Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC)
• Adrenal cortex cancer

Anaplastic Adrenal Cancer is a sub-type of adrenal cancer which shows virtually no cellular differentiation. It is not associated with overproduction of hormones as is seen in other types of adrenal carcinomas. Abdominal pain is a presenting symptom.

Regardless of size, approximately 1 per 1500 adrenal tumors is malignant. The evaluation of these incidentalomas, therefore, focuses on:

• (1) identifying functional masses and treating them appropriately (including surgical removal)
• (2) identifying adrenal carcinomas early, with the intent of attempting complete surgical extirpation
• (3) reassuring the patients who do not fit either of these classes and arranging for their subsequent follow-up.

CT and MRI imaging are used in the diagnosis of adrenal lesions, but a biopsy is required for definite diagnosis.

Radical surgical excision is the treatment for individuals with localized malignancies and remains the only method by which long-term disease-free survival may be achieved.

Median survival for anaplastic adrenal cancer is 5 months as compared with a median survival of 40 months for differentiated adrenal cancers.