Primary non-functioning tumours of the adrenal cortex: an eight-year experience in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To report our eight year experience of the treatment of primary non-functioning adrenal tumours diagnosed incidentally by computed tomography or ultrasonography.


METHODS
Open study.


METHODS
University hospital, Turkey.


METHODS
20 patients with primary non-functioning adrenal tumours that were diagnosed incidentally during the eight years 1986-93 and who were treated in our department.


METHODS
All patients underwent detailed endocrine studies followed by unilateral adrenalectomy.


METHODS
Morbidity, mortality, and outcome.


RESULTS
There were 18 women and 2 men, mean age 50 (range 24-67). No patient died and one developed a wound infection. Histopathological examination showed adrenocortical adenoma (n = 17), carcinoma (n = 2, one of which was a 57-year-old woman with a 35 mm tumour), and hyperplasia (n = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
Excision of non-functioning adrenal tumours is safe and we recommend it because there are no exclusion criteria for malignancy, and non-operative treatment has not been clearly defined.
Aydintuğ
S
S
Department of Surgery, Ankara University Medical School, Turkey.
Koçak
S
S
Eraslan
S
S
D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D018246:Adrenocortical Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology