How often is pheochromocytoma cancerous?
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare. In the United States, about 2 to 8 people per every 1 million people are diagnosed with these tumors each year. Around 100 to 200 of these cases are malignant. Paragangliomas are far less common than pheochromocytomas.
What percent of pheochromocytomas are malignant?
Most pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas are benign. At least 10 percent of pheochromocytomas are malignant (as defined by the presence of metastases), while a larger proportion of paragangliomas (up to 25 percent) are malignant.
Is paraganglioma considered cancer?
Paragangliomas are usually noncancerous (benign). But some paragangliomas can become cancerous (malignant) and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Paragangliomas are rare tumors. They can occur at any age, but they’re most often diagnosed in adults between 30 and 50.
How fast do pheochromocytomas grow?
Most people develop a pheochromocytoma in 1 adrenal gland. Some people develop a tumor in both glands. There can also be multiple tumors in a gland. Pheochromocytomas usually grow slowly.
Is pheochromocytoma a terminal?
Recovery from a pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma is not always possible. If the cancer cannot be cured or controlled, the disease may be called advanced or terminal.
What percentage of adrenal tumors are cancerous?
“Although the majority of these tumors are benign, around 30% of adrenal tumors greater than 4 cm are malignant – most represented by adrenal cortical carcinoma, and the survival rate for these patients is very poor unless detected early.”
Do pheochromocytomas metastasize?
Pheochromocytomas are tumors arising from chromaffin tissue located in the adrenal medulla associated with typical symptoms and signs which may occasionally develop metastases, which are defined as the presence of tumor cells at sites where these cells are not found.
Can you live a long life with pheochromocytoma?
Patients with a small pheochromocytoma that has not spread to other parts of the body have a five-year survival rate of about 95%. Patients with pheochromocytoma that has grown back (recurred) or spread to other parts of the body have a five-year survival rate between 34% and 60%.
Do pheochromocytomas cause pain?
The release of excessive catecholamines results in high blood pressure and other characteristic symptoms of pheochromocytoma. Additional symptoms that occur less frequently may include pain in the chest or abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pale skin (pallor), weakness and weight loss.
Can pheochromocytoma cause weight gain?
Compared to other adrenal tumor patients with cortisol- and aldosterone- producing tumors that tend to lose weight after operation, pheochromocytoma patients on average tend to gain some weight after successful surgery.