Paraganglioma and Pheochromocytoma | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas?
The symptoms of paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma (PCCs and PGLs) may vary from child to child and depend on where the tumor is located and whether it produces hormones. Symptoms might mimic other, more common ailments.
For PCCs/PGLs, the most common symptoms are:
- High blood pressure
- Rapid pulse
- Heart palpitations
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Poor weight gain despite good appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pale skin
- Clammy skin
- Sweating
- Growth failure
Because many of these symptoms can also point to other conditions, it’s important to have your child diagnosed by a qualified medical professional right away.
What causes PCCs/PGLs?
Sometimes, tumors emerge with no known cause. Some result from a mix of genetic and environmental factors, while others are linked to inherited conditions.
Examples of conditions associated with PGLs and PCCs include hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma syndrome, neurofibromatosis, von Hippel-Lindau disease, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes, tuberous sclerosis, Sturge-Weber syndrome, and ataxia-telangiectasia.
Paraganglioma and Pheochromocytoma | Diagnosis & Treatments
How are paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas diagnosed?
The first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis. Your child’s physician may order a number of different tests including:
- Physical exam and complete medical history
- Blood and urine tests
- Biopsy
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computerized tomography scan (CT/CAT scan)
- Molecular testing to determine whether the tumor is linked to specific genes
There may be other diagnostic tests that your doctor will discuss with you depending on your child's individual situation. After we complete all necessary tests, our experts meet to review and discuss what they have learned about your child's condition. Then, we will meet with you and your family to discuss the results and outline the best possible treatment options.
How are paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas treated?
Treatment for paraganglioma or pheochromocytoma will depend on the location and type of your child’s tumor. Your child's doctor may recommend surgery including a biopsy, laparoscopy, or thoracoscopy. Sometimes before removing a pheochromocytoma, your child’s physician may prescribe medicine to control high blood pressure. There are also some newer agents that are being investigated to reduce the need for big surgeries for advanced paragangliomas.
How we care for PGLs and PCCs
Children with PGLs and PCCs are treated at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center through our Endocrine-Oncology Program. Our integrated pediatric oncology service offers — in one specialized program — the combined expertise of a leading cancer center and a premier children’s hospital. We build a team to treat your child consisting of oncologists, endocrinologists, genetic counselors, and surgeons.
Paraganglioma and Pheochromocytoma | Research & Innovation
Our areas of innovation for PGLs and PCCs
Children who are treated through our Endocrine-Oncology Program benefit from the work of our basic and clinical researchers, who are striving to understand the scientific causes of endocrine cancers. Their work can result in the introduction of new treatment options. We are a world leader in translational research, bringing laboratory advances to the bedside and into doctors’ offices as quickly as possible.
Clinical trials for PGLs and PCCs
Clinical trials, or research studies evaluating new treatment approaches, are a major offering at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s. For many children with rare or hard-to-treat conditions, clinical trials provide new options.
It’s possible that your child will be eligible to participate in one of our clinical trials. In addition to launching our own clinical trials, we also offer trials available through collaborative groups such as the Children's Oncology Group (COG). If your child has a progressive or recurrent tumor, she may be eligible for a number of experimental therapies available through these groups, or from one of our independent clinical investigators.
