Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer

 Adrenocortical carcinoma ,or ACC, is a cancer of adrenal gland, which are two small triangular-shaped glands that sit on the tope of each kidney. The outside of these glands is called adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex makes important hormones that help your body control water balance, blood pressure, stress response and cause the body to have male or female traits. ACC originate from adrenal cortex.

An ACC may be functioning, which means it makes more hormone than normal, or non-functioning, which means it has no effect on hormone production. A functioning ACC tumor makes to much of the hormone cortisol, aldosterone or estrogen(For all types of cancer click here).

How common is adrenocortical carcinoma?

ACC is very rare, affecting around one case diagnosed in one million people in the US. It is more common in females as compared to males.

How is adrenocortical carcinoma diagnosed?

ACC can cause pain in the abdomen, high blood pressure, acne, over growth of hair and voice deepening. Other symptoms of ACC are different in males and females.

Female may have over  growth in female genitalia and facial hair. Males may have abnormal penis growth or early puberty changes like increased muscle growth and body hair.

• Lab Tests:

If you have symptoms of ACC, your doctor will order lab test of urine and blood to check your hormone level.

• Imaging:

Your doctor will use imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT,X-ray, PET, and MRI scans to look at the size of tumor and whether it has spread to other parts of body or not.

• Biopsy:

To check the tumor your doctor mat perform a biopsy, taking a small sample from he tumor with a needle. A pathologist will study cells from the sample under the microscope to see what kind of tumor.

   ACC is rare but an other kind of tumor in adrenal glands, adrenocortical adenoma is more common. It can be difficult to tell difference between both types because both are formed in adrenal glands and the cell also looks similar.