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Pheochromocytoma Treatment

Pheochromocytoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor found on the adrenal glands. The adrenals sit on top of each kidney.

Some people may have only one tumor. Others may have more than one. Pheochromocytomas are usually benign (not cancerous). They can become cancerous and spread to other areas of the body. All pheochromocytomas (benign or cancerous), should be assessed and treated to prevent more serious medical problems like organ damage.

People with certain genetic disorders and genetic predisposition syndromes may have a higher risk to inherit genetic changes (mutations) that lead to pheochromocytoma tumors. These include:

  • Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
  • Neurofibromatosis type 1
  • Hereditary paraganglioma-pheochromocytoma syndrome
  • Von Hippel Lindau syndrome

A pheochromocytoma that is inherited is called familial pheochromocytoma.

Sometimes, a person may be the first person in their family to have a pheochromocytoma, and have no known genetic predisposition syndrome or gene change. This is called sporadic pheochromocytoma. 

Find out more about pheochromocytoma on the Together by St. Jude™ online resource.  

Treatment of pheochromocytoma

Treatment for pheochromocytoma may include: 

  • Surgery to remove the entire tumor. In some cases, the surgeon may need to remove the whole adrenal gland.  
  • 1-31I MIBG therapy to treat any tumors that cannot be completely removed or those that come back 
  • Chemotherapy to help treat pheochromocytoma that has spread  
  • Medicines to control blood pressure, heart rate, or the effects of too much hormone in the body, especially before surgery  
  • Targeted therapies to treat cancer that has spread or come back 

Pheochromocytoma clinical trials

St. Jude offers clinical trials and cancer research studies for children with pheochromocytoma. Learn more about clinical research at St. Jude. 

Open clinical trials for pheochromocytoma.

There are no open clinical trials for pheochromocytoma at this time.

Browse open clinical trials

Pheochromocytoma care at St. Jude

St. Jude provides the highest quality of care for patients with pheochromocytoma. 

  • St. Jude takes part in international studies, including work with the Children’s Oncology Group, to find the safest and most effective ways to treat both patients with small tumors and tumors that have spread. 
  • St. Jude is studying the genetic changes in the tumor and patients. These studies may show new and better ways to treat patients with pheochromocytoma. 
  • Surgery in children can be more challenging. Adrenal glands can be fragile, and tumors may have clots in the large veins. The expert skills and experience of St. Jude surgeons can help improve patient outcomes. 
  • St. Jude offers a dedicated team of specialists to meet the needs of children with cancer, including: 

More reasons to choose St. Jude for care include:  

  • We are consistently ranked among the best childhood cancer centers in the nation by US News & World Report.   
  • St. Jude is the only National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Center just for children. A Comprehensive Cancer Center meets rigorous standards for research to develop new and better approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.   
  • The nurse-to-patient ratio at St. Jude is about 1:3 in hematology and oncology and 1:1 in the Intensive Care Unit.   
  • Patients may be able to get expert, compassionate care and treatment closer to their homes through the St. Jude Affiliate Program.   
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Seeking treatment at St. Jude

Patients accepted to St. Jude must have a disease we treat and must be referred by a physician or other qualified medical professional. We accept most patients based on their ability to enroll in an open clinical trial.

How to seek treatment

Contact the Physician / Patient Referral Office

Submit online referral form

Call: 1-888-226-4343 (toll-free) or 901-595-4055 (local)  | Fax: 901-595-4011 | Email: referralinfo@stjude.org | 24-hour pager: 1-800-349-4334

 

Learn more