Pheochromocytoma historical perspective

Overview
A pheochromocytoma (phaeochromocytoma outside of the US) is a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands (originating in the chromaffin cells) or extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue which failed to involute after birth, which secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines, usually epinephrine and norepinephrine. Extra-adrenal paragangliomas (often described as extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas) are closely related, though less common, tumors that originate in the ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system and are named based upon the primary anatomical site of origin.

Historical perspective
In 1886, Fränkel made the first description of a patient with pheochromocytoma, however the term was first coined by Pick, a pathologist, in 1912. In 1926, Roux (in Switzerland) and Mayo (in U.S.A.) were the first surgeons to remove pheochromocytomas.

Jaroszewski DE, Tessier DJ, Schlinkert RT, et al. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003; 78: 1501-1504.