Clinical Trial: Study of Adrenal Gland Tumors

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Clinical and Molecular Analysis of ACTH-Independent Steroid Hormone Production in Adrenocortical Tissue

Brief Summary:

The adrenal glands, located atop the kidneys, normally produce several types of hormones. Tumors of these glands may or may not secrete hormones. It is not known what causes these tumors or why some secrete hormones and others do not. Some of the tumors are benign and confined to the adrenal gland, and others are malignant (cancerous), and can spread to other parts of the body. This study will investigate how adrenal gland tumors develop, why some secrete steroid hormones and others do not, and why some are benign and others malignant.

Patients between 3 and 70 years old with a known or suspected adrenal gland tumor may be eligible for this study. Participants will be hospitalized for 7 to 10 days for various tests and procedures that may include the following:

  1. Medical history and physical examination, including body measurements, as appropriate. Children and adolescents will have Tanner staging, including examination of the genitals, to determine the extent of sexual maturity.
  2. 24-hour urine collection to measure hormones in the urine.
  3. Imaging studies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, computed tomography (CT) and other X-ray studies.
  4. Blood tests to see if the tumor secretes hormones in response to specific stimuli, including exercise, food, and various hormones. The hormones are given through an intravenous catheter, or IV a thin plastic tube inserted into an arm vein. After the stimulus, blood is drawn through the same IV every 30 minutes for up to 3 hours to measure hormone levels. Based on the results of these tests, some patients may have additional blood tests to check hormone response to special foods, an IV salt solution, or other hormones or drugs given eit

    Detailed Summary: The adrenal glands are the major source in the body of the steroid hormones. In normal physiology, the pituitary hormone ACTH regulates the secretion of glucocorticoids, while the secretion of mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone is controlled by the renin-angiotensin system. In addition to these two classes of steroids, the adrenal gland secretes lesser amounts of intermediate metabolites as well as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated product (DHEAS) and androstenedione, testosterone, estrogen, and estrone. Dysregulated secretion of any of these hormones can be caused by sporadic adrenocortical adenomas or carcinomas, with the development of specific clinical syndromes depending on the identity of the hormones secreted. In at least a subset of cortisol-producing adrenocortical neoplasms, the presence of ectopic or abnormal receptors has been described, resulting in the regulation of cortisol and/or aldosterone by non-physiologic stimuli. The present study will serve as a mechanism to investigate individuals with steroid hormone-secreting adrenocortical tumors of all types for the purpose of identifying hereditary, congenital, or acquired defects leading not only to hormone oversecretion, but also to tumor formation. One of the first goals of the study was (until very recently) to examine the prevalence of ectopic receptor expression in cortisol- and/or aldosterone- hormone secreting adrenocortical tumors. This led to the understanding of the ontogeny of these tumors and the development of novel therapeutic strategies (e.g., receptor antagonists) to control hormone oversecretion. We currently use this information for the evaluation and treatment of our patients. An important research goal of the study is to identify novel genetic defects leading to tumors of the adrenal gland. This is done through a set of methods, from sequencing of the collected DNA to analysis of the expression of large sets of genes using gene array/gene chip analysis. This informat
    Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

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    Information By: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

    Dates:
    Date Received: June 28, 2000
    Date Started: June 23, 2000
    Date Completion:
    Last Updated: April 20, 2017
    Last Verified: March 24, 2017