QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
We received numerous questions regarding
a possible link between a pheo and dramatic emotional stress. Therefore,
we decided to consult with a top pheochromocytoma researcher for some answers.
We discovered that there have been no studies, but we were given a good
explanation of what is currently known with regard to stress being associated
with a risk of developing medical disorders. Please read the email that was
sent to our webmaster:
Subject: Stress Triggering
Pheo?
Date: 7/13/00 6:52:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Although possible, it seems unlikely that
periods of life stress would directly cause development of pheochromocytomas
and I am aware of no literature to indicate this. HOWEVER, it is well established
both in the lay- and scientific literature that severe or chronic life stress
is associated with a higher risk of developing all kinds of medical disorders,
including cancer or tumors. The most likely mechanism here is that such stress
(severe-life event changes and chronic depression anxiety etc) results in
activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal cortical axis. This leads
to higher levels of cortisol. Cortisol has immuno-suppressant properties
and this may result in impaired surveillance by the immune system for aberrant
mutated cells that have malignant potential.
There are many other possible hypotheses
to account for the association of life-stress with disease. With regard to
pheochromocytoma, for example, since adrenal steroids have direct influences
on the development and phenotypic expression of adrenal medullary chromaffin
cells one could hypothesize that increased cortisol might directly trigger
chromaffin cell hyperplasia, leading to a pheochromocytoma. Thus although
I say a direct link is unlikely it is theoretically possible, but this theory
has not been pursued.
