Adrenocortical carcimona is a cancer of the adrenal cortex, the outer layer of the adrenal glands. These glands produce a number of corticosteroid hormones, including the male hormone androstenedione.
Approximately 75 to 115 cases of adrenocortical carcinoma are diagnosed each year in the United States, which amounts to about one or two people per 1 million. The disease generally occurs in adults between the ages of 40 and 50.
Adrenocortical carcinoma is considered an aggressive cancer. It is usually discovered after it has spread from the adrenal glands to distant organs such as the abdomen, lungs, liver and bone. Sixty percent of these tumors are found after the patient seeks medical attention for symptoms caused by excess hormones. Many patients also seek treatment for pain in their abdomen or sides.
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