What endocrine insufficiency results from under secretion of steroids from the adrenal cortex due to a tumor?

The condition resulting from under secretion of steroids from the adrenal cortex due to a tumor is best identified as Primary (adrenal) Addison's disease. This disease is characterized by insufficient production of adrenal hormones, particularly cortisol and sometimes aldosterone, which occurs due to damage or disease affecting the adrenal glands, such as an adrenal tumor. Addison's disease leads to symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, and hyperpigmentation of the skin due to the adrenal insufficiency.

In contrast, Secondary Cushing's disease involves excessive production of cortisol due to a pituitary adenoma that stimulates the adrenal glands, not a reduction in steroid production. Tertiary Addison's disease typically relates to dysfunction at the level of the hypothalamus and is a less common classification since most cases of adrenal insufficiency are considered primary or secondary. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a genetic condition that affects the adrenal glands' ability to produce cortisol and other hormones but does not directly stem from a tumor leading to under secretion.

Thus, recognizing that Addison's disease specifically involves the under secretion of adrenal steroids clarifies why Primary (adrenal) Addison's disease is the correct answer in the context of tumors affecting adrenal hormone production.