Is it okay not to remove a pheochromocytoma?

Written by Gan Jun
Endocrinology
Updated on February 23, 2025
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For patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, it is recommended that surgical removal is the best option. Pheochromocytoma, also known as an adrenal medullary tumor, originates from the sympathetic ganglia in the adrenal medulla and other related chromaffin tissues. This type of disease can secrete large amounts of catecholamines, causing episodic or persistent hypertension, as well as other related metabolic disorder syndromes. It often presents as potentially fatal hypertension, accompanied by potentially fatal hypotension or even shock, leading to symptoms such as increased heart rate, palpitations, and fear. Patients with pheochromocytoma are advised to undergo timely surgical treatment, as general drug treatments are unable to control or cure the condition.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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How is pheochromocytoma treated?

Currently, for the treatment of pheochromocytoma, it is primarily important that once diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, one should promptly visit the local hospital to arrange surgical treatment as soon as possible. By surgically removing the pheochromocytoma, this prevents the excessive secretion of catecholamines, which can lead to a hypertensive crisis in patients. Therefore, clinically, after diagnosing and locating the pheochromocytoma, receiving surgical treatment can often achieve satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. Typically, appropriate preparations must be made before surgery. Generally, prior to the operation, it is crucial to actively administer medications such as alpha-adrenergic blockers, beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, vasodilators, and catecholamine synthesis inhibitors to effectively treat and stabilize blood pressure.

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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.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Can pheochromocytoma cause back pain?

Pheochromocytoma can also manifest as back pain, but this typically occurs when the pheochromocytoma has grown very large and is more likely to cause it. Generally, the initial symptoms are more often high blood pressure. After the increase in blood pressure, it can indirectly cause symptoms such as arrhythmias, palpitations, excessive sweating, or dizziness. Therefore, judgment must be based on the situation. If the patient has long-term uncontrolled hypertension, or fluctuating blood pressure, it is important to consider testing for pheochromocytoma. For pheochromocytomas, unless they grow very large and compress surrounding organs, it is rare for abdominal pain to occur. Therefore, a thorough examination is necessary for a clearer diagnosis.

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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 Li Lang Bo
Endocrinology
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What should I do if pheochromocytoma causes excessive sweating?

Patients with pheochromocytoma generally exhibit profuse sweating, which is a manifestation of sympathetic excitement. This occurs because the capillary beds throughout the body of a person with pheochromocytoma are constricted, including the sweat glands. Thus, it is easy to exhibit these symptoms of sympathetic excitement, characterized by nervousness, heavy sweating, and weight loss. So, how should this be treated? The key is to treat the cause. In the clinic, after collecting some blood history, conducting various blood tests, and performing adrenal CT scans among other imaging studies, a clear diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is made. Then, we will use some alpha receptor blockers, one to lower the blood pressure to a normal range and another to dilate the capillary beds throughout the body. After this, we proceed with the related surgical treatment. Following the surgical removal of the tumor, symptoms such as sweating will gradually be relieved.