Watchful Waiting for Adrenal Tumors

With watchful waiting, you and your NYU Langone doctor decide to monitor but not treat an adrenal tumor that is not causing any symptoms and does not appear to be cancerous on imaging tests.

People who have tumors that arenโ€™t producing abnormal hormone levels and are smaller than four centimeters across can often take this approach. Adrenal gland tumors smaller than four centimeters are less likely to be cancerous.

During the watchful waiting process, doctors monitor you with blood and urine tests to make sure the tumor remains nonfunctional, which means it does not produce elevated levels of hormones. Doctors can also monitor the size of the tumor with imaging tests.

Your doctors create a schedule tailored to your medical needs. Appointments usually occur every 6 to 12 months.

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