How pheochromocytoma is treated
Treatment by stage

How pheochromocytoma is treated

There are treatments for all patients with pheochromocytoma. Three kinds of treatment are used:

• Surgery (taking out the cancer).
• Radiation therapy (using high- dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells).
• Chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer cells).

Surgery is the most common treatment of pheochromocytoma. A doctor may remove one or both adrenal glands in an operation called adrenalectomy. The doctor will look inside the abdomen to make sure all the cancer is removed. If the cancer has spread, lymph nodes or other tissues may also be taken out.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation comes from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy).

Treatments for pheochromocytoma depend on the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and overall health. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.

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