Usually pheochromocytoma affects only one adrenal gland. Pheochromocytoma may also start in other parts of the body, such as the area around the heart or bladder. Most tumors that start in the chromaffin cells do not spread to other parts of the body and are not cancer. These are called benign tumors. If a tumor is found, the doctor will need to determine whether it is cancer or benign.
Pheochromocytomas often cause the adrenal glands to make too many hormones called catecholamines.
High blood pressure that goes on for a long time without treatment can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other major health problems. If there are symptoms, a doctor may order blood and urine tests to see if there are extra hormones in the body. A patient may also have a special nuclear medicine scan. A CT scan, an x-ray that uses a computer to make a picture of the inside of a part of the body or an MRI scan, which uses magnetic waves to make a picture of the abdomen, may also be done. Once pheochromocytoma is found, more tests will be done to see how far the cancer has spread.