Adrenal gland disorder

Tumors of the adrenal gland

• Adrenal adenoma, a benign tumor of the adrenal gland which may result in overproduction of one or more adrenal hormones, or may be inactive.
• Adrenocortical carcinoma, cancer of the adrenal cortex
• Adrenal incidentaloma, an adrenal tumor discovered accidentally during a scan which performed for an unrelated reason
• Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-producing tumor of the adrenal medulla, which may or may not be cancerous

  Hereditary disorders associated with adrenal tumors

• Von Hippel–Lindau disease, a mutation of the VHL1 tumor-suppression gene associated with many types of tumor, including pheochromocytoma
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia, a family of syndromes in which genetic abnormalities contribute to the development of endocrine tumors

  Notable people with adrenal gland disorders

• John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States was diagnosed with Addison’s disease.
• Some have suggested Jane Austen was an case of Addison's Disease, but others have disputed this.
• Scientist Eugene Merle Shoemaker, co-discoverer of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 had Addison's Disease.

  Disorders of hormone over/under-production

• Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, a disease in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient glucocorticoids for a reason directly related to the adrenal gland itself, such as auto-immune damage to the adrenal gland or adrenal gland atrophy due to medication use
• Adrenal crisis, a life-threatening medical emergency resulting from insufficient levels of cortisol
• Adrenal insufficiency, a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient glucocorticoids that leads to abnormalities in the production of hormones regulating adrenal function
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, a hereditary disorder in which one of the enzymes involved in cortisol synthesis does not function properly. This disorder is also often associated with an over-production of androgen hormones.
• Cushing's disease, a disorder in which cortisol levels are abnormally high
• Hyperaldosteronism, a condition in which aldosterone is over-produced
• Hypoaldosteronism, a condition in which aldosterone is under-produced