Cancer of the adrenal glands does not get the kind of press coverage as other types of cancer, but it can be just as deadly. Adrenal cancer, although one of the rarest forms of cancer, is being shone in a brighter light, though, as a new drug may be able to buy time for those stricken with it.A new study out of Europe concluded that Mitotane (a drug for adrenocortical cancer) can give patients months of additional life without severe side effects. Although adrenocortical cancer is rare, the standard treatment involves surgery -- but with many patients seeing multiple relapses. With Mitotane being used in large doses during those relapses (to try and stop them), the most significant side effect is exhaustive fatigue -- to the point of some patients losing all quality of life. I'd consider that a severe side effect, but it does depend on the dose given (fatigues is only caused by very large doses).
The good news is that recurrence-free adrenocortical cancer cases saw patients with 42-month periods of survival without a relapse compared to 10 and 25 months in two control groups. I'd say that is pretty significant.
1. My husband was diagnosed with a large adrenal tumor in February and was told he had 2 months to live We have done drastic changes to his diet (an alkaline diet Vegetarian mostly)wheat grass orally and anally supplements, Chinese herbs, Qi Gong, Essiac tea etc etc His tumor has been shrinking and he symptoms are subsiding He seems to be recovering
Posted at 3:26PM on Sep 26th 2009 by Nancy Miyamoto