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The Mystery of Adrenal Adenoma: Why Does It So Often Appear Silently?
Adrenal adenoma, commonly known as adrenal adenoma, usually refers to a benign tumor originating from the adrenal cortex cells. Although this tumor is functionally inactive and asymptomatic in most cases, it can appear inadvertently, making it difficult to guard against. According to the latest research, adrenal adenomas are associated with a variety of endocrine symptoms, such as Cushing's syndrome (excess cortisol syndrome) and Con's disease (primary aldosteronism), which has attracted the attention of the scientific community to this disease. .
Most adrenal adenomas are asymptomatic, which means they are often overlooked in clinical diagnosis or even discovered accidentally during autopsy examination.
Symptoms of adrenal adenoma
Adrenal adenomas can present in a variety of ways, depending on whether the tumor is functional. Non-functional adenomas usually have no obvious symptoms, while functional adenomas may be accompanied by the following endocrine symptoms:
- Musculoskeletal: osteoporosis, muscle weakness or atrophy
- Cardiovascular: Hypertension
- Endocrine and metabolism: obesity (more common in men), virilization (more common in women), hyperandrogenism, irregular menstruation
- Neuropsychology: sleep disorders, depression
- Skin: easy bruising, stretch marks, hirsutism, acne
Causes of the disease
The occurrence of adrenal adenomas is often related to the abnormal proliferation of adrenal cortical cells, which are located in the three-layer structure of the adrenal gland, namely the zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. The cause of this abnormal proliferation may be a mismatch with normal physiological needs and secretory activities, and there may be the influence of gene mutations.
PathophysiologyThe adrenal gland is a dynamic organ in which aging cells are constantly replaced by new cells. This renewal process helps maintain adrenal function, but it may also lead to the formation of tumors.
A functioning adrenal adenoma may affect normal adrenal gland activity, resulting in excessive secretion of adrenocortical hormones, which is often referred to as hyperadrenalism. This process may induce a variety of endocrine diseases, making the patient's condition more complicated.
Diagnostic Methods
Due to their asymptomatic nature, adrenal adenomas are often discovered incidentally during other medical procedures using imaging tests such as CT scans or MRIs. This type of adenoma is therefore called an "unexpected tumor." Although adrenal adenomas are difficult to distinguish from normal adrenal tissue, once resected they often demonstrate regular, well-defined margins.
Treatment Options
Non-functional adrenal adenomas are usually managed with long-term follow-up and monitoring, whereas functional adenomas are treated differently depending on the type of disease and its progression. If the adenoma causes atrophy of the adrenal gland and surrounding tissue, it may need to be surgically removed. Studies have shown that, through comparison of different surgical methods, laparoscopic reverse peritoneal gland resection has a good effect in reducing late complications and shortening recovery time, but further research is still needed to confirm the specific effect.
Prognosis
For patients diagnosed with a nonfunctioning adrenal adenoma, the long-term prognosis is generally good. For patients with functional adrenal adenomas, early diagnosis and treatment can also achieve good prognosis.
EpidemiologyAdrenal adenomas are more common in women than in men, are more common in adults, and occur at a relatively early age in women.
During breastfeeding, adrenal adenoma is autoimmune and changes the overall hormone secretion pattern. Will this silent threat become the focus of our future medical exploration?
