ADRENOCORTICAL CARCINOMA CANCER

By Salma Ali Nassir

Death leaves a headache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. These are the words of Rosemary Nankabirwa’s fun. An NTV Uganda news anchor who recently succumbed to death after losing the battle to Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer.

Cancer is a malignant growth or tumor resulting from the division of abnormal cells.

 Adrenal cortical cancer will be my concentration today as it is a very rare cancer. According to Doctor David Mukunya of Mulago hospital one person out of one hundred thousand people die of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer hence making it a very rare case. This is good because it means being a rare disease very few have to die from this particular disease but again we should not relax because we could just be one in the hundred to avoid this we should do a screening at least once a year.

What is Adrenal cortical Carcinoma cancer?

 

Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare disease. It is caused by a cancerous growth in the adrenal cortex, which is the outer layer of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands lie on top of the kidneys. They play an important role in the endocrine system, which is the system that makes and regulates hormones. ACC is also known as adrenocortical carcinoma.

The adrenal cortex makes hormones that regulate metabolism and blood pressure. It also produces cortisol and the male hormones known as androgen's. ACC may trigger excessive production of these hormones.

Normally people take their time to go for screening. Some people even don’t see the importance of screening probably because they think cancer is for “the rich”. It has become a common disease and it’s scarier than any other disease we could think of. AIDS was feared but cancer is deadly.

“Cancer to me is currently the number one killer disease especially for women it can’t even be compared to HIV and AIDS. My mum has just completed her radiotherapy but I can tell it’s the most painful experience anyone can go through. She is currently improving and she will have to go back for review in June to assess that’s when we shall know where she stands.  In the beginning taking her for radiotherapy was not easy because she didn’t like the whole idea but slowly we managed to convince her. It’s not easy especially if you see how weak she gets after the treatment, we need prayers”. Margaret Hiire talks about how she feels about cancer.

Types of Adrenal Cortical Carcinomas

There are two types of adrenal cortical carcinomas.

Functioning tumors increase the production of adrenal hormones. With this type of tumor, large amounts of cortisol, testosterone, and aldosterone are usually found in the body. (Aldosterone is a hormone that regulates blood pressure.)

Nonfunctioning tumors do not increase the adrenal glands’ hormone production.

Most tumors on the adrenal glands are not cancerous. Only 5 to 10 percent of adrenal tumors are malignant.

Doctor Mukunya further explains that to diagnose this type of cancer, ACC, your doctor will perform a physical exam. You may also need lab tests to check your hormone levels. This could require collecting your saliva, blood, and urine.

Your doctor might also want to use imaging tests to look for a tumor on your adrenal glands. These tests could include:

• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• computed tomography (CT) scan
• positron emission tomography (PET) scan

If a tumor is found, a small piece of tissue might be taken for study. This is called a biopsy. A biopsy allows your doctor to see if tumor cells are cancerous or benign. Most adrenal tumors are non-cancerous.

Young women should go for clinical examination every three years. Women who are 40-50 years should do a mammography which is an x ray of the breast it’s free at the Uganda Cancer institute. Much as we have free examination people don’t show up for the clinical examination mainly because most Africans are reluctant towards their health because we have all the necessary equipment to detect these problems early but very few show up.

Speaking to a young woman Samantha, She said something’s are better not checked for because the moment you realize you have the disease then it will kill you more so leaving it to eat you without your knowledge is much better than living a life of knowing it will end tomorrow.

People who are more at risk with this kind of cancer are mostly females, children under the age of 5,

Elder women between the ages of 40 and 50, people who have a hereditary disease that affect the adrenal glands, people who have another form of cancer that is aggressive ACC is a rare cancer. Just because you have one or more risk factors does not mean you will get ACC.

Symptoms of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer

The symptoms of a functioning tumor depend on what hormones it is producing.

Testosterone and other androgens:

 Increased facial and body hair, particularly in females, deepened voice in females and

Estrogen, early signs of puberty in children enlarged breast tissue in males

Aldosterone:

Weight gain

High blood pressure

Cortisol:

High blood sugar and pressure

Muscle weakness in the legs

Bruising in the body

Excessive weight gain in chest and abdomen

Both functioning and non functioning tumors can cause abdominal pain if they become enlarged. Non functioning tumors may not produce any hormonal changes or cause specific symptoms

BE AWARE: Cushing’s syndrome is a condition caused by cortisol producing adrenal tumors. Although ACC can cause Cushing’s, most of the tumors that cause it are benign. If you have Cushing’s it does not mean you have cancer.

Everyone should ensure they go for screening form young to old because cancer is real, it’s killing you may just not know which one you have unless you go for screening.