Adrenal gland tumours
There are 2 adrenal glands, one above each kidney. They make hormones that help the body work properly and are vital to life.
Most tumours of the adrenal gland are called adenomas. These are not cancer, they are benign tumours. Rarely, cancer can develop in the adrenal glands. There are different types of adrenal gland cancer including:
- phaeochromocytoma
- adrenal cortical cancer
Most phaeochromocytomas do not spread to other parts of the body. Phaeochromocytomas that spread to other parts of the body are called metastatic phaeochromocytomas.
Secondary cancer in the adrenal glands is more common than cancer that starts in the adrenal glands. This means that a cancer that started elsewhere in the body, has spread to the adrenal glands. For example, kidney cancer can spread to the adrenal glands. This is known as secondary cancer and would be treated as kidney cancer, not as adrenal gland cancer.
If you have cancer that started in another part of your body and has spread to the adrenal glands, you should look for information about your 
.
