Healthy Living Tips

Endocrine tumors are lumps that affect the endocrine glands and organs that produce hormones for regulating different body functions.

Studies show that about 40 to 45 percent of endocrine tumors that occur in childhood develop in the testicles and ovaries. About 30% of endocrine tumors occur in the thyroid glands, which are the glands found in the neck that are responsible for producing hormones affecting the heart, body temperature and level of energy. It is also responsible for controlling the calcium level in the blood.

Endocrine tumors are also commonly found, about 20% in the pituitary gland, which is a very small, pea-sized organ that can be found in the center of the brain, just right above the back of the nose. This produces hormones that affect the functions of various body parts as well as growth.

Rare endocrine tumors and cancer affects the following:

• Parathyroid glands

These four, small endocrine glands are embedded in the thyroid. It produces hormones for calcium metabolism.

• Pancreas

This organ is located in the stomach. It produces digestive juices that aids in breaking down food and hormones that regulate food storage of the body.

• The adrenal cortex and medulla

The adrenal cortex is located outside the adrenal glands while the inside layer of the adrenal gland is the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex contains cells that produce hormones needed for the body to function properly. If the cells in the adrenal cortex become cancerous, it can cause hypertension, brittleness of the bones and diabetes. If the male or female hormones are affected, it may cause swelling of the sex organs or swelling of the breasts.

Most of childhood endocrine tumors are benign or low-grade malignancies. Small occurrences of gonadal, germ cell tumors, thyroid tumors and adrenal cancer are high-grade malignancies. Malignant cancer of the parathyroid, adrenal cortex/medullar and pancreas are very uncommon in young children.

Endocrine tumors correspond to about five percent of all cancers in children. Some endocrine tumors are hereditary while multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) are genetic disorders that occur simultaneously in multiple endocrine glands.

There are several methods of treating endocrine tumors. These are the following:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Hormone replacement

Prognosis for patients with thyroid and adrenal tumors is generally good while prognosis for adrenal carcinoma is poor. Survival would normally take about 12 to 18 months. Outcome for patients suffering from multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) is generally good as long as adequate treatment is received. Prognosis for testicular and ovarian tumor patients is also good and most of them achieve long-term, disease-free survival.

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