Adrenal cancer, also called adrenocortical carcinoma, is a very rare type of cancer that affects only one or two people out of every million, according to EndocrineWeb. The disease is curable if caught early; however, most people do not develop symptoms until the cancer has spread to other organs. Blood tests are often the first diagnostic tool used to diagnose adrenal cancer.
Hormone Levels
The adrenal gland is part of the endocrine system which regulates the levels of hormones in the body. Adrenal cancer often disrupts hormone levels. In some cases, bodily changes caused by abnormal hormones are the reason a person first seeks medical attention. When a patient presents with these symptoms, doctors often perform a blood test to determine hormone levels. Doctors test the levels of several different hormones, including cortisol, estrogen, aldosterone and testosterone, explains the National Cancer Institute.
Additional Hormones
Doctors may also test for other hormones, such as the catecholamines, which are the so-called "fight or flight" hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. The blood test to measure levels of catecholamines was developed in 1999, notes the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This tests takes advantage of the fact that tumors growing on the adrenal gland produce a unique enzyme that transforms epinephrine and norepinephrine into different forms of the hormones that are not normally present in the blood. Measuring the levels of these unusual forms of the hormones is a test for adrenal gland tumors.
Other Chemicals
A blood chemistry test may also be used in the diagnosis of adrenal cancer. Blood chemistry tests measure the levels of several other substances in the blood, including sodium and potassium, explains the National Cancer Institute. If the levels of these hormones are abnormal, either too low or too high, this might be an indication that something is wrong with the adrenal glands.
References
- EndocrineWeb: Diseases of the Adrenal Cortex: Adrenal Cancer
- National Cancer Institute: Adrenocortical Carcinoma Treatment
- Cleveland Clinic: Adrenal Cancer
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Researchers Develop Better Means to Diagnose Adrenal Gland Tumors
- University of Miami Department of Urology: Adrenal Cancer
