Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.
The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at OPM.gov.
Standard treatments for pheochromocytoma include1,2:
Surgical removal of the tumor
Medications (chemotherapy) designed to kill tumor cells
Radiotherapy: using radio waves to destroy the tumors
Medications to control the signs and symptoms of the disease
Types of Therapies for Pheochromocytoma:
Ninety percent of patients are cured by surgery to remove benign pheochromocytoma tumors.3 Surgery for tumor removal is typically done by laparoscopy, during which a small incision is made in the abdomen.3,4 During surgery to remove the tumor, the physician will usually examine nearby organs to determine whether the pheochromocytoma has spread to other parts of the body.
Medications are prescribed to treat the clinical signs and symptoms of pheochromocytoma.
Commonly prescribed medications include the following1:
Alpha-adrenergic blockers to lower blood pressure
Beta blockers for controlling rapid, irregular pulse
For patients whose tumors are successfully removed, blood pressure and hormone levels usually return to expected levels over the weeks immediately following surgery.
Waguespack, S. G., Rich, T., Grubbs, E., Ying, A. K., Perrier, N. D., Ayala-Ramirez, M., et al. (2010). A current review of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 95(5), 2023–2037.
Lentschener, C., Gaujoux, S., Tesniere, A., & Dousset, B. (2011). Point of controversy: Perioperative care of patients undergoing pheochromocytoma removal—time for a reappraisal? European Journal of Endocrinology, 165(: 365-373.