Malignant symptoms of pheochromocytoma

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 15, 2024
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For pheochromocytoma, if not treated adequately, it often leads to severe hypertensive crises in patients, characterized by extreme spikes in blood pressure accompanied by profuse sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and numbness in the limbs. Excessively high blood pressure can easily trigger pathological changes in the heart, kidneys, liver, and brain tissues, possibly leading to hypertensive brain hemorrhage, and even endangering the patient's life. Therefore, if pheochromocytoma is not managed and treated properly, it often results in critical illness and might even endanger the patient's life. It is recommended that once diagnosed, hospitalization should be sought promptly, and surgical treatment should be considered if necessary.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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What department does pheochromocytoma see?

Pheochromocytomas generally require a visit to urology for treatment. Initially, they mostly present with symptoms of hypertension, leading many to first visit cardiology. After differential diagnoses have ruled out other causes and confirmed pheochromocytoma, patients must then seek treatment from urology. Pheochromocytomas are generally located in the adrenal glands, hence they require surgical removal by a urologist. It is crucial to strictly control blood pressure during surgery, as fluctuations can be severe and significantly impact the patient's physical and mental health. Therefore, if a pheochromocytoma is detected, it is critical to seek timely medical treatment for a relatively better prognosis.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Malignant symptoms of pheochromocytoma

For pheochromocytoma, if not treated adequately, it often leads to severe hypertensive crises in patients, characterized by extreme spikes in blood pressure accompanied by profuse sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and numbness in the limbs. Excessively high blood pressure can easily trigger pathological changes in the heart, kidneys, liver, and brain tissues, possibly leading to hypertensive brain hemorrhage, and even endangering the patient's life. Therefore, if pheochromocytoma is not managed and treated properly, it often results in critical illness and might even endanger the patient's life. It is recommended that once diagnosed, hospitalization should be sought promptly, and surgical treatment should be considered if necessary.

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home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
48sec home-news-image

How is pheochromocytoma diagnosed?

For the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, further examinations need to be completed first. These examinations mainly include qualitative tests and localization tests. The qualitative tests are primarily conducted through laboratory tests to measure the levels of catecholamine-related metabolites to further determine the presence of the tumor. Localization tests are performed using abdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT, and, if necessary, high-resolution abdominal CT to pinpoint the location of the tumor. Once the qualitative and localization diagnostics are performed, it can be confirmed whether a pheochromocytoma exists and its specific location. Depending on the situation, surgery can be used to remove the tumor, in conjunction with pharmacological treatment.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Is pheochromocytoma a cancer?

Pheochromocytoma is not a cancer. It is a special type of tumor tissue that usually originates from the neuroectodermal chromaffin tissue. It can secrete catecholamines. Based on the specific origins of the tumor cells, it can be divided into types such as parasympathetic, paraganglioma, sympathetic, and ganglioneuroma. Most often, it presents with long-term hypertension, which can cause damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys due to prolonged hypertension, or severe increases in blood pressure can lead to hypertensive brain hemorrhage, thereby endangering the patient's life. Early treatment is often necessary.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Pheochromocytoma blood pressure how much

For patients with pheochromocytoma, they often present with a hypermetabolic state, elevated blood pressure, even reaching above 200 mmHg, along with significant hypertension and hyperglycemia. Patients may experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, and even chest pain and labored breathing. When such symptoms occur, it is important to promptly take the patient to a local hospital for medical attention. Appropriate tests should be conducted to help confirm the diagnosis and determine the specific location of the pheochromocytoma. Treatment typically involves surgical intervention, but it is essential to manage blood pressure with appropriate antihypertensive drugs before, during, and after treatment.