Relevance of adrenal insufficiency in the management of oncological patients

Adrenal insufficiency has a complex relevance in oncology. On one hand, malignant tumors warranting treatment might develop in patients suffering from adrenal insufficiency, on the other hand, adrenal insufficiency might appear due to the progression of malignant tumor or to its therapy. During the progression of oncological disease, bilateral adrenal or very rarely pituitary metastases could result in adrenal insufficiency. Novel immune-checkpoint inhibitors, opioids and long-term glucocorticoid treatment can all lead to adrenal insufficiency. It is very important to recognize and to know the treatment of adrenal insufficiency, as failure of treating adrenal insufficiency might be related to severe, even fatal consequences. In this review, these clinically relevant fields are presented.