Prognosis

Benign disease

The risk of recurrent disease after complete resection of benign pheochromocytoma may be as low as 5 events for 100 patients followed up for 5 years.[89]​ Recurrences may be benign or malignant. Hereditary tumors are more likely to recur. 

Up to 20% of patients who have surgical resection for benign disease retain some degree of hypertension, and follow-up for long-term blood pressure management is necessary.[90]

Metastatic disease

There are no curative treatments for metastatic disease, which has a 5-year survival of 42%.[91] Metastatic disease is, however, unpredictable, with reports of patients surviving over 20 years after diagnosis.[92] Factors that are thought to prolong survival include younger age, female sex, early diagnosis, and complete excision of the primary tumor.[93] 

Male sex and synchronous metastases are associated with increased mortality risk.[91] Tumor mutational status can be used as prognostic biomarkers.[21] Tumor mutations in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) gene subunits are often multiple, aggressive, metastatic, and have a poorer prognosis.[94]

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