Pheochromocytoma

What is pheochromocytoma?

A pheochromocytoma is a rare kind of tumor. The tumor is usually found in one or both adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys. It may also be found in the thyroid gland or below the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen). You can have more than one tumor.

The tumor produces a substance that increases blood pressure. The high blood pressure can cause strokes, sudden death, heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythm, or heart failure. Pheochromocytoma is one cause of high blood pressure that can be cured.

What are the symptoms?

Some people have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include:

• high blood pressure
• headache
• racing heart rate
• irregular heartbeat
• sweating spells
• flushing
• nausea and vomiting
• anxiety
• numbness and tingling of the arms and legs
• fatigue.

Your healthcare provider may suspect you have the tumor if you:

• are young and suddenly develop high blood pressure
• have high blood pressure with new or worsening diabetes
• develop huge swings in blood pressure levels when you take medicine or are given anesthesia
• have a family history of this kind of tumor.

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your medical history and examine you. Tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis. The most common tests are:

• blood tests
• urine tests
• CT (computed tomography) scan
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
• MIBG scintiscan.

Certain medicines can affect the results of these tests. Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including nonprescription drugs.

How is it treated?

Three kinds of treatment are used:

• surgery
• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy.

Surgery is the most common treatment. To prepare for surgery, you will be treated for 7 or more days with medicines that block the bad effects of the substance produced by the tumor. You may be in the hospital for a week or two.

Your healthcare provider will schedule checkups for several months after the surgery. If the surgery is successful, you will usually not need to take medicines.

Surgery may require removal of parts of the thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal glands. You may need to take medicines to replace the hormones produced by these glands. A few pheochromocytomas are cancerous.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to shrink tumors.