Risk Factors And Causes For A Pheochromocytoma

Related Tumors

Although the majority of the chromaffin cells within the body are located in the adrenal glands, small amounts of these cells are found in the heart, along the spinal column, on the back of the abdominal wall, and in the bladder and neck. Occasionally, related tumors can develop in the chromaffin cells in these areas, and such tumors are medically known as paragangliomas. Symptoms of paragangliomas are very similar to those of pheochromocytomas and include high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and increased blood glucose. Patients have also reported tremors in the hands, chest pain, abdominal pain, irritability, and irregular heartbeat. Unlike pheochromocytomas, it is impossible for doctors to tell whether other paragangliomas are benign or malignant, as the tests for this have not yet been invented. Therefore, patients are monitored frequently with imaging studies to measure tumor growth and spread (if any). This monitoring is continued on a long-term basis.

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