What is Adrenal Cancer?

There are two adrenal glands, one above each kidney in the back of the upper abdomen. The adrenal glands are also called the suprarenal glands.

There are two types of adrenal cancer:

Cancer of the adrenal cortex. This rare cancer affects cells in the outer layer of the adrenal gland. It is also called adrenocortical carcinoma. Cancer of the adrenal cortex is also called adrenocorticalcarcinoma.
Pheochromocytoma. This is a cancer of the adrenal medulla, the inside layer of the adrenal glands. Pheochromocytoma can also start in other parts of the body, but it most commonly occurs in the adrenal gland.