Other Drugs Used to Treat Adrenal Cancer
Drugs other than mitotane may be used to block hormones made by the cancer or to lower the effects of the hormones. Treatment with some of these drugs may need to be supervised by an endocrinologist (hormone doctor) because they affect several hormone systems and might make it necessary to replace other hormones.
Ketoconazole and metyrapone can reduce adrenal steroid hormone production. This can help relieve symptoms caused by these hormones, but it doesn't shrink the cancer.
Some drugs block the effects of the hormones made by the tumor. These include:
- Spironolactone (Aldactone), which decreases effects of aldosterone
- Mifepristone (Korlym), which decreases cortisol effects
- Tamoxifen, toremifene (Fareston), and fulvestrant (Faslodex), can block the effects of estrogen. These drugs are more often used to treat breast cancer, but can be useful in some patients (often men) who have adrenal tumors that make estrogen.
- Written by
- References
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Angelousi A, Dimitriadis GK, Zografos G, Nolting S, Kaltsas G, Grossman A. Molecular targeted therapies in adrenal, pituitary and parathyroid malignancies. Endocrine-related Cancer. 2017;24(6):R239-R259.
Berruti A, Fassnacht M, Baudin E, et al. Adjuvant therapy in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma: A position of an international panel. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(23):e401-402; author reply e403. Epub 2010 Jun 21.
Else T, Williams AR, Sabolch A, et al. Adjuvant therapies, patient and tumor characteristics associated with survival of adult patients with adrenocortical carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Dec 3. [Epub ahead of print].
Erickson LA, Rivera M, Zhang J. Adrenocortical carcinoma: review and update. Adv Anat Pathol. 2014 May;21(3):151-9.
Ferrari L, Claps M, Grisanti S, Berruti A. Systemic therapy in locally advanced or metastatic adrenal cancers: A critical appraisal and clinical trial update. Eur Urol Focus. 2016 Feb;1(3):298-300.
Lam AK. Update on adrenal tumours in 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) of Endocrine Tumours. Endocr Pathol. 2017 Sep;28(3):213-227.
Lirov R, Tobias E, Lerario AM, Hammer GD. Adrenal tumors In: DeVita VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2015: Chapter 84.
National Cancer Institute. Physician Data Query (PDQ). Adrenocortical Carcinoma Treatment. 06/02/2015. Accessed at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/adrenocortical/hp/adrenocortical-treatment-pdq on December 13, 2017.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Neuroendocrine Tumors. v.3.2017. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/neuroendocrine.pdf on
December 13, 2017.
Papotti M, Duregon E, Volante M, McNicol AM. Pathology of the adrenal cortex: A reappraisal of the past 25 years focusing on adrenal cortical tumors. Endocr Pathol. 2014;25:35-48.
Przytulska J, Rogala N, Bednarek-Tupikowska G. Current and emerging therapies for adrenocortical carcinoma: Review. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2015;24(2):185-193.
Schneider DF, Mazeh H, Lubner SJ, Jaume JC, Chen H. Cancer of the endocrine system In: Neiderhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA. Elsevier: 2014: 1112-1142.
Varghese J, Habra MA. Update on adrenocortical carcinoma management and future directions. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2017 Jun;24(3):208-214.
Last Revised: January 2, 2018
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.