pheochromocytoma

Term: pheochromocytoma

Literally meaning:

Origin: Anc Greek

φαιός/pheos(= dusky, dim)

+χρωμο-/chromo-(=combining form denoting color)

+κυτο-/cyto- (=-cyte combining form meaning “cell” derived from anc Greek κυτίον/kytion/cytion=box, container)

+-ωμα/-oma (suffix denoting state or condition of mass growth)

Coined/History

The etymology refers to the color of the tumor cells acquire when stained with chromium salts. In 1912, a pathologist named Ludwig Pick, coined first time the term.  Roux performed the first surgical resection of a pheochromocytoma in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1926

Definition

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor derived from chromaffin cells of the medulla of the adrenal glands.  Up to 25% of pheochromocytomas may be familial indicating a hereditary disease.