pheochromocytoma caused due to a mutation or disorder in chromaffin cells that leads to a tumor. This is a type of neuroendocrine tumor. Chromaffin cells produce hormones necessary for the body and are located in the adrenal glands, the smallest gland located in the upper abdomen above both kidneys.
The main symptoms associated with pheochromocytoma are high blood pressure, headache, sweetness and panic attacks. These symptoms are due to the production of hormones by the tumor in chromaffin cells.
Usually, pheochromocytoma is a benign tumor, which means it never spreads to other parts of the body and doesn’t leave its location, so it’s not always cancer. There is only a 20% or less chance that a pheochromocytoma is a malignant tumor or cancer.
Pheochromocytoma does not really go away on its own and unfortunately there is no treatment for cancerous pheochromocytoma. Radiation therapy, or the use of radio waves, can help reduce the size of tumors for a shorter period of time, but it’s not a permanent solution.