View clinical trials related to Pheochromocytoma.
Filter by:RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and doxorubicin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Estrogen can stimulate the growth of tumor cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight cancer by blocking the uptake of estrogen. Combining tamoxifen with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cisplatin and doxorubicin together with tamoxifen works in treating patients with solid tumors.
Pheochromocytoma is a tumor of the adrenal gland. This tumor is typically benign (not cancerous) and can be cured by surgical removal. However, pheochromocytomas produce neurohormones called cateholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). High levels of catecholamines can result in high blood pressure, headaches, sweating, heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. These tumors are considered dangerous because of their unpredictable behavior. Patients with pheochromocytoma may experience blood pressures high enough to cause a stroke or heart attack in patients. This study is designed to take patients suspected of having pheochromocytoma and confirm the diagnosis. This will be done using a variety of laboratory tests including a clonidine suppression test and glucagon stimulation test. These tests use drugs that can stimulate or reduce the activity of the tumor if it is present in the body. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, patients participating in this study will undergo standard procedures to find the exact location of the tumor and receive standard therapy for the condition.
This study involves sampling blood from both normal volunteers and patients with diseases known or suspected to involve body chemicals called catecholamines. The blood will be used to establish normal values for plasma levels of catecholamines and related neurochemicals; to test for abnormal neurochemical patterns in patients; and to establish a "bank" of DNA from normal volunteers and from patients to be used in future studies about possible alterations of catecholamine-related genes. Study participants will report to NIH after fasting overnight except for water or noncaloric, noncaffeinated beverages. They must not have taken Tylenol for at least 5 days. Blood will then be drawn. DNA will be extracted and stored in the freezer for future studies.