Urinary Bladder Pheochromocytoma with a Long Asymptomatic Period

Pheochromocytoma arises from chromaffin cells of the paraganglionic system. Urinary bladder pheochromocytoma is very rare tumor that accounts for less than 0.06% of all urinary bladder tumors and it is less than 1% of all pheochromocytoma. Urinary bladder pheochromocytoma usually arises from the sympathetic nervous system of the bladder wall. Paroxysmal headache and palpitation precipitated by micturition are common specific symptoms of this tumor. The paroxysm commonly persists or the patients relapse in a few days or months. Herein, we report a case of urinary bladder pheochromocytoma with a long asymptomatic period. (J Kor Endocrinol Soc 21:402~407, 2006)