Study of Adrenal Gland Tumors

Launched by EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (NICHD) · Jun 28, 2000

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The adrenal glands are the major source in the body of the steroid hormones. In normal physiology, the pituitary hormone ACTH regulates the secretion of glucocorticoids, while the secretion of mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone is controlled by the renin-angiotensin system. In addition to these two classes of steroids, the adrenal gland secretes lesser amounts of intermediate metabolites as well as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated product (DHEAS) and androstenedione, testosterone, estrogen, and estrone. Dysregulated secretion of any of these hormones can be caused by spora...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• * INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Patients are adults or children with evidence for the existence of a tumor of the adrenal glands, as indicated by previously obtained imaging studies and/or biochemical investigation of hormonal secretion. This condition is meant to include the possibility of individuals with "sub-clinical" hormone secretion syndromes, which may be detectable at the biochemical level even in the absence of frank clinical signs/symptoms.
• • All eligible patients are invited to participate in this protocol, regardless of sex, race or ethnic origin. All populations appear at risk for adrenal tumors, and therefore the subject population can include Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Black individuals. Patients will be accepted for evaluation based on referral from clinicians, or may be self-referred, if they can provide evidence supportive of the diagnosis of hormone over-secretion.
• • Patients must be willing to return to the NIH for follow-up evaluation.
• • Patients may withdraw from the study at any time.
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • 1. Children less than 3 years old will be excluded from the protocol because of the limited resources available at the NIH for the care of infants of this age.
• • 2. Individuals over the age of 70 years of age will be excluded because of the possibility of comorbidities that may significantly affect appropriate initial work-up and post-operative management. In addition, research data may be compromised by the inability to interpret data collected from patients over the age of 70 years that may be on multiple medications for a variety for reasons.
• • 3. Women who are pregnant or nursing will be excluded from the hyperaldosteronism arm of the protocol. Women with adrenal tumors secreting cortisol or other adrenal hormones may benefit clinically from evaluation and treatment of their tumor, and will be considered for enrollment when clinically indicated.
• • 4. Individuals whose medical status will not allow them, for safety reasons, to participate in the provocative testing or who have unacceptably high risk for surgical morbidity and mortality will be excluded from the protocol, as they will not be able to participate profitably in the research aspects of this protocol.
• • 5. Individuals found to have an known inherited syndrome as the cause for hormone oversecretion will be excluded from participation in this protocol, as the mechanisms of hormone oversecretion and tumorigenesis is likely to be distinct in these individuals. Specific examples of syndromes to may be excluded from this protocol include individuals with Carney Complex, McCune-Albright syndrome, and MEN-1. If inquiries are received from such patients, they will be referred to the appropriate ongoing protocols, if possible.