University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center Provides Complete Patient-Centered Care for Adrenal Cancer
If you or a loved one have received an adrenal cancer diagnosis, you may be experiencing a variety of emotions and contemplating questions regarding the treatment process. At UH Seidman Cancer Center, we understand.
Patients with adrenal cancer receive the finest care from our highly experienced cancer care team throughout the diagnosis, treatment and recovery process. Our supportive cancer experts are here to help each patient every step of the way.
Nationally Recognized Cancer Program
UH Seidman Cancer Center is a nationally recognized cancer program with expertise in both routine and complex care for every stage of adrenal cancer. As part of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, one of only 53 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country designated by the National Cancer Institute, UH Seidman Cancer Center provides leading treatments earlier than most other cancer centers. Our affiliation with Case Western Reserve University provides ongoing studies that target cancer treatment and prevention.
Highly Skilled Cancer Care Team
Nationally recognized physicians at UH Seidman Cancer Center are known for their advanced contributions toward the treatment of cancer. Just as each patient is unique, we believe that cancer treatment should be customized to fit the individual with support and wellness services that treat the whole person – not just the cancer. We offer patients a multidisciplinary team approach to care, which means all our cancer doctors, nurses and support staff coordinate your care. UH Seidman Cancer Center’s multidisciplinary team works in unison and draws on its collective expertise to offer patients a personalized treatment plan and a better outcome.
Skilled professionals on the multidisciplinary team include:
- Genetic counselors
- Medical geneticists
- Medical oncologists
- Nurse navigators
- Nurse practitioners
- Pathologists
- Radiation oncologists
- Radiologists
- Social workers
- Surgical oncologists
- Urologists
Second Opinions
By getting a second opinion at a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, you are most likely to get the most accurate diagnosis and the most comprehensive and up-to-date treatment plan.
Treatment Options for Adrenal Cancer
Our team understands that the selection of an appropriate treatment may seem overwhelming. Therefore, we make every effort to ensure that patients and their families are empowered with information regarding their healthcare. The treatment choices for each person depend on the size and location of the tumor, the results of lab tests and the stage or extent of the individual’s disease. That is why we use surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and clinical trials to help patients with adrenal cancer.
Adrenal cancer treatment recommendations may include:
- Surgery: Our expert surgeons perform surgical procedures to remove benign and malignant adrenal tumors, including:
- Transabdominal surgery: The surgeon makes an incision in the patient's abdomen, which allows him or her to check for cancer in nearby blood vessels and organs. This also allows the surgeon to remove nearby tissue directly involved with the tumor.
- Thoracoabdominal surgery: The doctor makes an incision in the patient's abdomen to remove large, malignant adrenal tumors. This procedure allows the physician to gain a better view of the tissue surrounding the tumor, which may contain cancer cells.
- Posterior surgery: This surgical procedure is used for small, benign tumors and involves an incision in the patient's mid-abdomen, above the kidneys. Recovery from a posterior surgery is often easier than recovery from other procedures. This approach is not utilized with confirmed or suspected adrenal tumor malignancies because exposure is limited.
- Palliative tumor debulking: In some circumstances, the physician performs a palliative tumor debulking or reducing surgery to improve the quality of life and increase the chance of survival for patients with metastatic adrenal cancers. For this noncurative procedure, the surgeon removes as much of the tumor as is safely possible to relieve symptoms related to the adrenal cancer.
- Targeted chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is typically given to patients with an advanced stage of adrenal cancer or a recurrence of the disease. The drugs circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream and can kill rapidly growing cancerous and noncancerous cells. Chemotherapy drugs are carefully controlled in dosage and frequency so that cancer cells are destroyed, while the risk to healthy cells is minimized.
- Radiation therapy: With many of the most advanced technologies in radiation therapy, UH Seidman Cancer Center customizes treatments for the adrenal cancer.
Learn more about clinical trials at UH Seidman Cancer Center.
Schedule Your First Appointment
Meeting with a surgeon is often the first step in cancer treatment. Call today to schedule an appointment or fill out the online form.