What Causes Adrenal Gland Tumors?

Like many cancers, an exact cause of the disease remains unclear. However, research shows that some people are more likely to develop adrenal cancer. In addition to age - older than 40 - people with certain genetic (hereditary) conditions are at higher risk for adrenal cancer. These conditions include:

• Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) causes the formation of many (more than 100) colon polyps at an early age. People with FAP have a high risk for developing colorectal cancer as well as cancer of the stomach, small intestine, pancreas and bile ducts, and tumors in the adrenal glands.
• Hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma (PGL/PCC) syndrome causes tumors to form in bunches of nerve cells outside of the adrenal gland called ganglia, while pheochromocytoma is a tumor type that forms in the adrenals. Both tumor types can overproduce adrenaline-type hormones.
• Lynch syndrome (also called hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer) increases risk for colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal and urinary tract cancers.
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome (MEN1 or MEN2). People with this syndrome are at increased risk for developing tumors or abnormal growth of the adrenal glands (pheochromocytomas), thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, oral cavity and intestinal lining.
• Neurofibromatosis type 1 leads to nerve tissue tumors in several body areas, including the adrenal glands.
• Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. People with VHL face increased risk for developing tumors in the adrenal glands (pheochromocytomas), kidneys, brain, eyes, pancreas and the epididimys gland found next to the testicles.
• Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. A rare, overgrowth disorder involving increased risk for adrenal tumors, including in childhood. Babies with this syndrome are large at birth and may develop low blood sugar. Other common symptoms are a large tongue, large internal organs and defects of the abdominal wall near the navel.
• Carney complex. This rare disorder causes dark spots on the skin and tumors in the heart, skin, nerves and endocrine glands, including the adrenals.
• Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. This rare condition is caused by an alteration in the p53 tumor suppressor gene and is associated with a predisposition to multiple cancer types.

What are the symptoms of adrenal tumors?