Thankfully, most cases of a detected adrenal adenoma are benign in nature and unless changes in hormonal levels within the body are detected, there will be little action that needs to be taken besides yearly monitoring of the growths. However, in a small percentage of cases (within the equally small incidence rates for the disease itself), a doctor may instead choose to remove this growth for safety an preventative measures. The two incidences when this may occur is if a growth begins to cause an overproduction of hormones within the body (such as cortisol, testosterone or progesterone) or instead the benign growth is suddenly seen to become activated and represent a potential malignancy. Let us look at both cases in a bit more depth to obtain a clear picture of when concern should be raised.
If a patient begins to exhibit various symptoms that are indicative of a hormonal imbalance, a medical professional may opt to perform surgery. This is done because over time and should these levels not be corrected, other diseases may eventuallt be a result. This will be determined from blood tests, urine analysis and imaging techniques. As a general rule of thumb, an adrenal adenoma is thought to be no cause for alarm if it is less than three centrimetres in size and does not present any signs of having become a malignancy. In this case (which is the majority of cases), it will simply be monitored on a yearly basis. Additionally, blood work will occasionally be performed to monitor hormonal levels and and MRI or CT scan will also be periodically recommended to make certain that the adenoma has not increased in size.
It should be obvious that the most important cases are those when a benign growth becomes active. Normally, the biochemical signs (such as an increase in certain hormones) will reflect those that are seen in a benign tumour. A doctor will once again perform a scan of the local area. This will be combined with an analysis of the blood. Unlike in the case of a benign growth, one that is considered to be malignant will often times cause changes within the chemical makeup of one's blood. Also, the way in which the adrenal adenoma presents itself will also be analysed. Should it have substantially grown, display an irregular shape that proves inconclusive in diagnosis or if it causes bleeding, a biopsy will be performed and in most cases, it will be entirely removed.
Additionally, some specific symptoms may hint at a more concerning problem. These can include:
Obviously, these symptoms will be analysed in conjunction with the aforementioned factors of an adrenal adenoma. Thanks to modern medicine, more targeted treatment methods and more advanced imaging techniques, even if an adenoma is a cause for concern, the prognosis is still quite good.
As with any condition, the presentation of these symptoms alone may not warrant any action. Self-diagnosis should be avoided and instead, a medical professional such as a renal (kidney) specialist may be consulted for further diagnosis and verification.