Tips while you are at UT MD Anderson
Medically Reviewed |
Last reviewed by
Mouhammed Amir Habra, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E.,
Jason B. Liu, MD, MS and
Jeena Mary Varghese, M.D.
on
March 30, 2026
Adrenal Tumor Treatment
If you’re diagnosed with an adrenal tumor, your care team will create a treatment plan based on several factors. These include whether the tumor is benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous), whether it produces hormones (functioning vs. nonfunctioning), its size and location, and your overall health. Treatment may involve one or more of the options below.
Surgery
Surgery to remove the adrenal gland (called an adrenalectomy) is often the main treatment for adrenal tumors. The type of surgery depends on the characteristics of the tumor.
Laparoscopic or robotic adrenalectomy: This minimally invasive procedure is often used for smaller tumors. It is performed under general anesthesia and typically results in less pain, smaller incisions and a shorter recovery time. Most patients stay in the hospital for 1–2 nights and can return to desk work within about one to two weeks, with longer recovery for more physically demanding activities.
Open adrenalectomy: For larger or potentially cancerous tumors, such as adrenocortical carcinoma, open surgery may be necessary. This approach is performed under general anesthesia and allows the surgeon to remove the tumor completely and examine nearby tissues. Hospital stays are usually longer (about four to seven days), and recovery may take several weeks, especially for physically demanding activities.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells, control their growth or relieve disease-related symptoms. Chemotherapy may involve a single drug or a combination of two or more drugs, depending on the type of cancer and how fast it is growing.
Chemotherapy is sometimes used to treat cancerous adrenal tumors that have spread or cannot be fully removed with surgery. It works by killing cancer cells or slowing their growth. Chemotherapy can be taken as pills or given through an intravenous (IV) line. IV treatments usually last one to three hours and are given in cycles every few weeks, often over several months.
Side effects vary depending on the drugs used and may include nausea or vomiting, fatigue, hair loss, increased risk of infection, and changes in appetite or weight.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy drugs are designed to stop or slow the growth or spread of cancer. This happens on a cellular level. Cancer cells need specific molecules (often in the form of proteins) to survive, multiply and spread. These molecules are usually made by the genes that cause cancer, as well as the cells themselves. Targeted therapies are designed to interfere with, or target, these molecules or the cancer-causing genes that create them.
These treatments may be used for advanced adrenal cancers when specific genetic changes are identified through tumor testing. Targeted therapy is often part of a personalized treatment plan.
Targeted therapies may be given as pills, injections, or through an IV. IV treatments typically last from 30 minutes to a few hours and are given on a regular schedule, often in cycles lasting several months. Side effects depend on the medication and may include fatigue, nausea, skin rash, diarrhea, or changes in liver function.
Learn more about targeted therapy
Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
Radiopharmaceutical therapy is a type of nuclear medicine treatment that uses small amounts of radioactive material to target adrenal tumors. The radiation is delivered directly to cancer cells through the bloodstream, helping to shrink tumors or relieve symptoms caused by hormone-secreting tumors.
This therapy is most often used for certain adrenal tumors, such as pheochromocytomas or paragangliomas, especially when they have spread or cannot be removed with surgery. Treatment is typically given by injection and may require a short hospital stay, depending on the agent used.
Hormonal Therapies and Hormone Replacement
Some adrenal tumors produce excess hormones, which can lead to serious health problems. In these cases, medications may be used to:
- Block hormone production
- Control high blood pressure or prevent hormone surges
- Replace hormones if adrenal function is reduced or if both adrenal glands are removed
Follow-Up Care
Your treatment plan may be adjusted over time based on how your body responds. Regular follow-up care may include blood tests to monitor hormone levels, imaging studies to track tumor changes, and visits with your care team to support your overall health and well-being.
Learn more about adrenal tumors:
Learn more about clinical trials for adrenal tumors.
4 things to know about cortisol and stress
Stress and cortisol have been linked ever since early stress research identified cortisol as the main mediator of stress – that is, the main hormone the body releases when stressed. So, as the so-called “stress hormone,” managing cortisol levels may seem like the key to managing stress. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple.
As a researcher, I’ve long been interested in how the body responds to stress. And, while cortisol does play a role in stress, our understanding of stress has broadened to extend far beyond cortisol. Still, many people have questions about how cortisol impacts the body.
To answer some of those questions, I will briefly explain the relationship between stress and cortisol and share some practical ways to cope with the stressors in our lives.
Cortisol helps the body respond to stress
Cortisol is the main hormone involved in glucose energy metabolism, the process that helps the body produce and use its main energy source: glucose.
When we get stressed, the body activates two systems. First, the autonomic nervous system immediately activates the sympathetic nervous system, or its ‘fight-or-flight' response. Next, part of the endocrine system called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis releases a variety of hormones, including cortisol, to fuel the body as it continues its stress response. Cortisol helps our organs shut down the body's immediate stress response. It also helps to restore the body’s normal energy metabolism — which is mainly based on glucose — after the stress response.
The idea is that we cope with short-term stress mainly with the help of the autonomic nervous system. If we can’t cope with our stress, or are facing a stressful situation long-term, our bodies use the HAP axis and cortisol to help us cope.
Cortisol levels change throughout the day
Cortisol isn’t only present in the body when we are stressed, however. Cortisol is always present in your body.
Cortisol provides our bodies with the energy we need to complete our daily tasks. Our cortisol levels naturally peak 30 minutes after we wake up and slowly decrease throughout the day. They reach their lowest levels overnight, which allows the body to relax and restore its energy.
Cortisol can cause symptoms — but it’s usually beneficial
Our bodies are made to work in many situations, including stressful ones. But our bodies aren’t designed to withstand stress forever. When our bodies operate outside of their “normal” for a while, their physiological systems can be overwhelmed. This is called chronic allostasis overload.
If the body’s cortisol response goes on for too long, we may have symptoms. These symptoms mainly affect the immune system. They include:
- Decreased immune response
- Increased inflammatory response
- Hypertension
- Fatigue
- Major Depressive Disorder
Cortisol levels aren’t tested in standard lab panels. In most cases, a doctor won’t test cortisol levels unless they suspect specific health concerns such as hypercortisolism or an adrenal tumor. These conditions can be diagnosed with a blood test.
However, cortisol is normally beneficial. Most of cortisol’s effects consist of deactivating the acute response system which has been mobilized to deal with a situation we can't control.
Coping mechanisms can reduce stress
If this story only focused on cortisol and stress, we’d be missing an important part of the equation: ourselves! How we perceive and respond to a stressful situation influences what happens in our bodies.
The best way to combat stress is by developing efficient coping mechanisms. Depending on our personality and the problems we are facing, we tend to engage in two main coping styles. They are:
- Active coping, or trying to stay in control of the problem
- Passive coping, or avoiding the problem
These coping styles may be helpful or harmful depending on the situation. For example, trying to stay in control of a situation that we can’t change is not a good idea. Conversely, it’s also not ideal to remain passive in a situation when there is something we could do to solve it.
The best solution? Try to be flexible and adapt your strategy to the circumstances rather than being rigid in how you react.
It is also important to learn how to relax rather than constantly thinking about the problem.
Here are some free and low-cost relaxation methods you can try at home and in the workplace:
- Breathing exercises
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Physical Activity
- Engaging with our support system, such as family and friends
- Participating in workplace wellness programs
It’s also important for us to identify why we are stressed. This might look like taking a moment to identify the exact reasons you are having trouble coping with a situation. It can also help to name the emotions – such as frustration, anger or deceit – you are experiencing. Stress is a symptom, not an explanation.
If you are still struggling to cope with stress on your own, ask for help. Therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social work counselors can provide additional resources for managing stress.
Additionally, MD Anderson offers resources designed for managing stress during cancer treatment. Your doctor can also refer you to see a psychiatrist or get support from specialists focused on specific stressors such as pain management, fatigue and survivorship.
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.