Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast.

My name is Tom, and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about Pheochromocytomas.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero tofinals.com slash feochromocytoma

or in the endocrinology section of the zero to finals medicine book.

So let's get straight into it.

A phochromosytoma is a tumour of the adrenal glands that secretes unregulated and

excessive amounts of catacolamines, specifically adrenaline.

Let's talk about the pathophysiology.

Adrenaline is produced in the chromatin cells in the medulla or middle part of the adrenal glands. Adrenaline is a catacolamine hormone that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and is responsible for the

fight or flight response that occurs with danger. A feochromocytoma is a tumor of the

chromatin cells that secretes unregulated and excessive amounts of adrenaline. In patients with

a feochromosytoma, the adrenaline

tends to be secreted in bursts, which gives intermittent symptoms. Fiochromocytomas are more common

in certain genetic conditions, specifically multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, or MEN2,

neurofibromatosis type 1, and von Hippel Lindau disease.

About 30 or 40% of patients with a Pheochromositoma have a genetic cause.

There is a 10% rule to describe the pattern of tumors.

10% are bilateral, 10% are cancerous and 10% are outside the adrenal gland.

Next let's talk about the presentation.

The symptoms tend to fluctuate and relate to periods where the tumour is secreting excessive adrenaline.

Typical symptoms are anxiety, sweating, headache, tremor, palpitations, hypertension, and tachycardia, which is a fast heart rate.

Next let's talk about diagnosis. The initial tests include plasma-free metanephrine's and 24-hour urine cataclyamines.

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