New research suggests that patients with adrenal tumors that secrete a hormone called cortisol are at higher risk of suffering cardiovascular events and increased mortality. Investigators say their findings may lead to better clinical management of patients with these tumors.
This is according to a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Adrenal tumors (adrenal incidentalomas) can often produce a sex hormone called cortisol. High secretion of cortisol can lead to Cushing's syndrome (overt hypercortisolism).
Symptoms include weight gain, thinning skin that is easily bruised, appearance of stretch marks and decreased interest in sex.
Because these symptoms are fairly general, they can be hard to spot. Therefore, adrenal tumors are often referred to as "silent" tumors.
Many of these tumors are found by accident as patients undergo computed tomography (CT) scans. According to the research team, led by Prof. Renato Pasquali of the S Orsola-Malpighi Hospital in Bologna, Italy, approximately 4% of CT scans coincidentally uncover an adrenal tumor.
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