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Pheochromocytoma, a rare adrenal tumor, often treated with surgery

Jesse Gutnick, MD (photo by Jim Howe)

Jesse Gutnick, MD
(photo by Jim Howe)

The adrenal glands produce hormones that help regulate metabolism, the immune system and blood pressure, among other functions. In rare cases, tumors can develop on these glands, causing various problems, such as raising the blood pressure to dangerous levels. This tumor, called pheochromocytoma, is difficult to diagnose, occasionally cancerous and usually treated with minimally invasive surgery. Upstate surgeon Jesse Gutnick, MD, describes the disease, which generally occurs in adults, and its treatment.

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