It strikes me that what Bob may be looking for could be more these:
 
1.  Separation of neoplasias from the malignancies which (less often than
neoplasia) can happen in the adrenals.  Note that there IS a form of
malignancy which tends to occur in the adrenals which is commonly well
capsulated and for that surgical removal is the usual form of complete cure
(as per Bruce Williams, world-noted ferret pathologist, pers.  com.  when we
encountered exactly this problem in Meltdown who went on to have another
three and a half years).  Separation of maligancies into their types.  In
the back of his mind, Bob'll have to recall that Mike Dutton, very well
experienced exotics vet who has helped many folks here, has mentioned that
he thinks that there may actually be as many as four (4!) actual DIFFERENT
types of adrenal neoplasias (just the neoplasias here, not the malignancies)
but that they just can't be differentiated, yet.  Therefore, the proportion
of each possible type will shift the sampling and will call for a larger
sampling than Bob may have originally planned upon.
 
2.  Proportion of ferrets with adrenal neoplasia which have the second
adrenal also develop neoplasias, and in what time frame those ferrets
develop the neoplasias.
 
3.  Treatment(s) of both first and second neoplasia: Lysodren (which
preferably should not be exposed to water or saliva so Linatone or Nutrical
make fine mediums -- some folks have not had any problem with exposure but a
number here have had no response to Lysodren until it was shielded) or
another med, debulking of the tumor, ligation of the vena cava during
surgery on the R, removal, use of prednisone after a large debulking, use of
fluorinef after complete bilaterals or failure of remaining or both
adrenal(s), etc.
 
NOT BEING ABLE TO SEPARATE THE NEOPLASIA TYPES ALREADY CAUSES DIFFICULTY --
NOT SEPARATING OUT THE MALIGNANCIES WOULD MAKE IT FUTILE.
 
In our personal experience we usually don't rush adrenal surgery -- except
in Meltie's case when for some reason I just wouldn't take "Wait" for an
answer -- may have smelled the cancer without realizing it or something,
because sometimes the system feedback might force the adrenals to stabilize
at a reasonable level as we've heard of more than several times, but when
there is a clear adrenal we have surgery done.  The ferrets are up and
running in four days to two weeks depending on age and circumstance, with
very old or ones with other health concerns, or metastized lympho taking
longer.  Only one took a long time and he had lympho which had spread as the
original problem.  Even Ruffie with all her deformities, lesions, a section
of liver, some abberent tissue, a lot of pancreas and more out in addition
to her adrenal was dashing about happily in just days.  Are there
individuals and situations in which we would opt to not have surgery?  Yes,
but that's not the norm.  I also know how painful and hard major surgery is
for humans from first hand experiences, but ferrets do bounce back better
than any of us ever will.  They are tough.  We are wimpy primates.  (Written
with wink, because I know how Bob must be dreading his next surgery and know
it's a miserable spot to be in, and hate seeing a friend like him in that
spot.  In case anyone's wondering -- he's a good guy so don't get down on
him.)
 
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2155]