5 Cases of Primary Adrenal Tumors

Seo, No Gyo; Kim, Kwang Sae; Lee, Sung Choon

Abstract

The adrenal glands, because of their retroperitoneal location, are difficult to evaluate by physical examination and conventional radiological techniques. This has limited the detection of benign and malignant adrenal neoplasms to those tumors causing local symptoms due to massive enlargement or systemic manifestations of excess hormone production. Technical advances now allow visualization of normal adrenal glands by computed tomography (CT), and the possibility arises that adrenal neoplasms may be diagnosed at an earlier or even preclinical stage. Treatment of these preclinically detected neoplasms would prevent the complications of hormone producing tumors and offer a better chance for cure of malignant tumors. This report describes our experiences with 5 patients who had adrenal tumors; three pheochromocytomas, one primary hyperaldosteronism, one nonfunctioning adrenal cortical carcinoma.