What Is an Adrenal Adenoma?
The adrenal glands are situated over the top of each kidney. Adrenal adenomas are benign (non-cancerous) tumours of the adrenal gland. They arise from the outer layer of the gland, called the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex normally makes hormones that belong to the steroid family. If an adrenal adenoma produces hormones, it is called ‘functioning’, though this term makes them sound healthy when in fact such adenomas often produce excessive amounts of steroid hormones. If an adenoma does not produce a hormone it is termed ‘non-functioning’. Adrenal adenomas are often found by chance during a scan of the body for an unrelated condition. However, all adrenal masses (lumps) need careful evaluation to ascertain their nature, especially to see whether they are producing hormones. If an adrenal adenoma that is producing hormones is not treated, it can have serious consequences (see figure and case illustration below).
