Treatment of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Localized Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

Treatment of localized benign pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma is usually surgery to completely remove the tumor. If the tumor is in the adrenal gland, the entire adrenal gland is removed.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Inherited Pheochromocytoma

In patients with inherited pheochromocytoma linked to multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN2) or von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome, tumors often form in both adrenal glands. The tumors are usually benign.

• Treatment for inherited pheochromocytoma that forms in one adrenal gland is surgery to completely remove the gland.
• Treatment for inherited pheochromocytoma that forms in both adrenal glands or later forms in the remaining adrenal gland may be surgery to remove the tumor and as little normal tissue in the adrenal cortex as possible.

These surgeries may help patients avoid life-long hormone replacement therapy, acute adrenal insufficiency, and health problems due to the loss of hormones made by the adrenal gland.

Regional Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

Treatment of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma that has spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes is surgery to completely remove the tumor. Nearby organs that the cancer has spread to, such as the kidney, liver, part of a major blood vessel, and lymph nodes, may also be removed.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Metastatic Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

Treatment of metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma may include the following:

• Surgery to completely remove the cancer, including tumors that have spread to distant parts of the body.
• Palliative therapy, to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life, including:
  • Surgery to remove as much cancer as possible.
  • Combination chemotherapy.
  • Radiation therapy with 131I-MIBG.
  • External radiation therapy to areas (such as bone) where cancer has spread and cannot be removed by surgery.
  • Embolization (treatment to block an artery that supplies blood to a tumor).
  • Ablation therapy using radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation for tumors in the liver or bone.
  • Targeted therapy (tyrosine kinase inhibitors).

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

Recurrent Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

Treatment of recurrent pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma may include the following:

• Surgery to completely remove the cancer.
• When surgery to remove the cancer is not possible, palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life, including:
  • Combination chemotherapy.
  • Targeted therapy.
  • Radiation therapy using 131I-MIBG.
  • External radiation therapy to areas (such as bone) where cancer has spread and cannot be removed by surgery.
  • Ablation therapy using radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.