[Pheochromocytoma can be an insidious disease].

Pheochromocytoma is a tumor of the chromaffin tissue, originating from the suprarenal medulla and secreting cathecolamines, adrenalin and noradrenalin. Because the symptoms of this rare disease may deceptively resemble those of other diseases, its diagnosis may be delayed. Episodic symptoms are characteristic of pheochromocytoma. In most cases the tumor is curable with surgery, but untreated may lead to sudden death of the patient, or have time to spread. Alpha-blockade is started before the operation. The operations should be concentrated to units specialized in endocrine surgery.