Guide To The Causes Of Conn's Syndrome

Tumor On The Adrenal Gland

An individual may be affected by Conn's syndrome as a result of a growing tumor on their adrenal gland. The tumor may be a benign growth called an adenoma that produces excess amounts of aldosterone. Cancerous tumors growing in the adrenal gland may also produce excess aldosterone, but are statistically rare. The exact cause of adrenal adenoma is not clear, but it is thought aldosterone-producing adenomas initially form in the zona fasciculata. These tumors often feature a surrounding expansion of adrenal gland tissue with an absence of any concerning changes in the individual gland cells. It is suspected a clonal alteration occurs in a single cell within this expansion, which fosters the growth of or provides a growth advantage to the adenomatous tissue that forms a benign aldosterone-producing tumor. An adenoma that produces hormones is medically referred to as active or functioning. Inactive adenomas do not usually require treatment. However, active adenomas that cause the patient to have Conn's syndrome are treated by surgical excision or with certain medications.

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