I hade one of this tumors and it was removed. But it has come back. I got all this info from a few different sites. There is a lot of information on this on the net. I tryed to give as much as I could here.
Pheochromocytomas are tumors of the adrenal gland, which produce excess adrenaline...:namespace prefix
Pheochromocytomas arise from the central portion of the adrenal gland, which is called the adrenal medulla. The adrenal medulla is responsible for the normal production of adrenaline which our body requires to help maintain blood pressure and to help cope with stressful situations. A tumor, which arises from the adrenal medulla and overproduces adrenaline, can be a deadly tumor because of the severe elevation in blood pressure it causes.
List of symptoms of Pheochromocytoma
Symptoms varies greatly with each patient. Stereotyped textbook cases of Pheochromocytoma are rare. Symptoms can include:
Headaches
Nausea
Vomiting
Weight loss or gain
Hypertension
Hyperglycemia
Diabetes
Diabetes-like symptoms
Palpitations
Angina Chest Pain
Clammy skin Cold skin
Anxiety
Nervousness
Panic
Tremors
Feeling of impending doom
Rapid pulse
Rapid breathing
Breathing difficulty
Vision disturbance
Impaired vision
Orthostatic hypotension
Fainting
Sweating
Flushing
Abdominal pain
Flank pain
Constipation
Heat Intolerance
Paresthesia (tingling, prickling, numbness or burning sensations)
Who Should Be Examined For A Pheochromocyoma?
Patients with very difficult to control hypertension
Patients requiring more than 4 blood pressure medications
Patients with onset of hypertension before the age of 35
Patients with onset of hypertension after the age of 60
Patients with signs or symptoms of pheochromocytoma (above)
Diagnosing Pheochromocytomas
The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma hinges on the treating physician entertaining the diagnosis in the first place. Making the diagnosis is usually straightforward by performing the following tests:
24 hour urinary catacholamines and metanephrines. This study is designed to measure production of the different types of adrenaline compounds that the adrenal makes. Since the body gets rid of these hormones in the urine, we simply collect a patient's urine for 24 hours and determine if they are over-produced. This test measures different types of adrenaline (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) as well as the break-down products of these compounds which the liver and kidney have degraded. Since these compounds are concentrated in the urine, this test is very good at making the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.
Serum catacholamines. This study measures adrenaline compounds in the blood. It is not as sensitive a test for pheochromocytoma as the 24 hour urine test (sometimes the urine test will be positive and the blood test will be negative), but it still can give important information if it shows elevated adrenaline levels.
Ultrasound. This is the fastest, cheapest, and most readily available test to look at the kidneys and adrenals. But, it is the least accurate, so it is usually not used as much as the CT scan. Can be used to examine any type of adrenal tumor.
CT Scan. The CT scan (also called CAT scan) is very accurate at examining the adrenal glands and other abdominal structures and can be used on any type of adrenal tumor. Like the other 3 tests in this group, the CT scan is painless. It will take about 30 minutes to complete.
MRI Scan. The MRI (also called an MR scan or NMR scan) is very similar to the CT scan in the type of information and pictures it provides. The scan takes about an hour and uses magnetic fields to generate pictures of body structures rather than x-rays like the CT scan or sound waves like the ultrasound
MIBG Scan. The MIBG scan is used only to detect the presence and location of adrenal pheochromocytomas. This test does NOT detect any other type of adrenal tumor. MIBG is another nuclear medicine scan which takes advantage of the fact that endocrine cells make hormones.. Just like the sestamibi scan which makes hyperactive parathyroids radioactive so they can be seen on special x-ray film, the MIBG scan shows pheos. A special radioactive dye is given to a patient which is a precursor for adrenaline (the hormone made by the adrenal medulla). This dye is concentrated in the hyperactive endocrine tissue which comprises the pheo and it can be seen on x-ray film. The picture on the right shows a bright pheo in the patient's left adrenal gland. To make the picture easier to interpret, the radiologist gave the patient a second radioactive dye which is absorbed by the kidney. The computer interprets the dye in both kidneys as black areas, which accounts for the two "empty" areas on the scan. The pheo, therefore is the bright spot (the adrenal) on the top side of the left (empty) kidney. This test takes about an hour a day for 3 or 4 days. Note: X-rays are typically read as if we were looking at the patient, therefore, the patients left side will be on the right side of the picture we are viewing.
PET Scan (Is How They Found Mine)
Surgical Treatment of Pheochromocytomas
All pheochromocytomas should be removed surgically. The vast majority of patients can be treated with the new technique of minimally invasive Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy. This is now the preferred method for removing pheochromocytomas and is available in most hospitals in the U.S.
Who is a Candidate For Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy?
Tumors less than 10 cm in diameter (~ 4 inches). Tumors larger than this are more likely to be cancerous and therefore require better exposure and a more aggressive operation. Tumors larger than this also pose a technical problem because the surgeon has difficulty seeing around it with the camera.
Tumors which secrete hormone. These masses are ideally suited for this approach.
Pheochromocytomas. Pheochromocytomas are tumors which arise from the central zone of the adrenal gland (the medulla) and secrete epinephrine (adrenaline). Since they are usually small and benign, they can be removed with great success using this minimally invasive approach.
Tumors which do not secrete hormone...if they are greater than 4 cm (~ 1 3/4 inches). Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the perfect approach to these masses which would otherwise necessitate numerous repeated CAT scans and often life-long follow-up by a physician.
Tumors which have NO characteristics of malignancy. Laparoscopic removal of the adrenal gland is not appropriate for any cancerous tumors or those which have clinical / radiologic characteristics of malignancy.
Pheochromocytomas are often referred to as the "ten percent tumor" because they do many things about ten percent of the time. The following is a fairly exhaustive list of these characteristics:
10 percent of all Pheochromocytomas are:
Malignant (90% are benign)
Bilateral (found in both adrenal glands: 90% are arise in just one of the two adrenal glands)
Extra-Adrenal (found within nervous tissue outside of the adrenal glands ... see below)
In Children (90% are in adults)
Familial (10% will have a family member with the same type of tumor)
Recur (10% or slightly less, will come back 5 to 10 years later)
Associated with MEN syndromes (patients with rare syndromes of endocrine tumors.)
Present with a stroke (10% of these tumors are found after the patient has a stroke)
