Pheochromocytomas | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of pheochromocytomas?
The most common symptom seen with a pheochromocytoma is high blood pressure, which is sometimes extreme. While each child may experience symptoms differently, some of the most common include:
- Rapid pulse
- Heart palpitations
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Poor weight gain despite good appetite
- Growth failure
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Pale skin
- Clammy skin
- Sweating
What causes pheochromocytomas?
In most cases, both genetic and environmental factors play a role. The condition can be seen on its own or in combination with other disorders. The most common disorders associated with pheochromocytomas are:
- Neurofibromatosis
- Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Sturge-Weber syndrome
- Ataxia-telangiectasia
Pheochromocytomas | Diagnosis & Treatments
How do doctors diagnose a pheochromocytoma?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, some of the diagnostic procedures your child’s doctor may request include:
- Blood and urine tests (to measure hormone levels)
- Computerized tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan)
- Radioisotope scan: uses radioactive substances introduced into the body to create an image of the functioning adrenal gland
How are pheochromocytomas treated?
Treatment for a pheochromocytoma usually includes removing the tumor.
- Before removing the tumor, your child's physician may prescribe medications to control high blood pressure.
- Your child may have multiple tumors, and in order to be thorough, we will conduct an extensive evaluation to locate them before surgery.
Continuous medical follow-up may be required to monitor the development of future tumors.
