Synonyms

Adrenal cortical tumor, benign
Adrenal cortical tumor, NOS

Definitions

Adrenal gland
ICD-O-3 topography code:	C74

Adrenal cortical adenoma is a benign epithelial neoplasm of the adrenal cortical layers. It can be associated with the overproduction of glucocorticoids (Cushing syndrome), androgenic or estrogenic steroids (adrenogenital syndrome), or mineralocorticoids (Conn syndrome)¹

Mills SE, Carter D, Greenson JK, Oberman HA, Reuter VE
Sternberg's Diagnostic Surgical Pathology
4th Edition
Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia 2004

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Histologically, the presence of severe cortical atrophy in adjacent non-neoplastic adrenal glands reflects significant suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These patients may need glucocorticoid supplementation ²

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Sasano H, Sato F, Shizawa S, Nagura H, Coughtrie MW (1995)
Immunolocalization of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase in normal and pathologic human adrenal gland.
Mod Pathol 8: 891-6

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The true incidence of adrenal cortical adenomas is unknown. Nodules are found commonly at autopsy and are more common with increasing age and with vascular diseases ³

Ronald A. DeLellis, Ricardo V. Lloyd, Philipp U. Heitz, Charis Eng
World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. Pathology and Genetics of Tumors of Endocrine Organs
IARC Press: Lyon 2004

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