大约 90% 嗜铬细胞瘤起源于产儿茶酚胺的肾上腺髓质嗜铬细胞;其余起源于肾上腺外器官。5% 到 10% 是多发性的。[13]Whalen RK, Althausen AF, Daniels GH. Extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma. J Urol. 1992 Jan;147(1):1-10.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1729490?tool=bestpractice.com 可散发或呈家族性发病。
大多数嗜铬细胞瘤是散发的;然而,研究表明成年人中有多达 35% 为遗传性,[2]Mazzaglia PJ. Hereditary pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. J Surg Oncol. 2012 Oct 1;106(5):580-5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22648936?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Canu L, Rapizzi E, Zampetti B, et al. Pitfalls in genetic analysis of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas - case report. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Jul;99(7):2321-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24758185?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Martucci VL, Pacak K. Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: diagnosis, genetics, management, and treatment. Curr Probl Cancer. 2014 Jan-Feb;38(1):7-41.https://www.cpcancer.com/article/S0147-0272(14)00002-6/fulltexthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636754?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Neumann HP, Bausch B, McWhinney SR, et al. Germ-line mutations in nonsyndromic pheochromocytoma. N Engl J Med. 2002 May 9;346(19):1459-66.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12000816?tool=bestpractice.com 儿童中多达 40% 是遗传性的。[14]Barontini M, Levin G, Sanso G. Characteristics of pheochromocytoma in a 4- to 20-year-old population. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Aug;1073:30-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17102069?tool=bestpractice.com 与遗传性嗜铬细胞瘤相关的情况包括 2 型多发性内分泌腺瘤、Von Hippel-Lindau 综合征、1 型神经纤维瘤病和琥珀酸脱氢酶 (succinate dehydrogenase, SDH) B、C 或 D 基因的生殖系突变。[2]Mazzaglia PJ. Hereditary pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma. J Surg Oncol. 2012 Oct 1;106(5):580-5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22648936?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Canu L, Rapizzi E, Zampetti B, et al. Pitfalls in genetic analysis of pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas - case report. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Jul;99(7):2321-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24758185?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Martucci VL, Pacak K. Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: diagnosis, genetics, management, and treatment. Curr Probl Cancer. 2014 Jan-Feb;38(1):7-41.https://www.cpcancer.com/article/S0147-0272(14)00002-6/fulltexthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636754?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Neumann HP, Bausch B, McWhinney SR, et al. Germ-line mutations in nonsyndromic pheochromocytoma. N Engl J Med. 2002 May 9;346(19):1459-66.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12000816?tool=bestpractice.com
琥珀酸脱氢酶组合因子 2 (SDH complex assembly factor 2, SDHAF2)、跨膜蛋白 127 (transmembrane protein 127, TMEM 127)、琥珀酸脱氢酶 A 亚基、MYC 相关因子 X (MYC-associated factor X, MAX) 和低氧诱导因子 2A (hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha, HIF2A) 的突变已被描述。[4]Martucci VL, Pacak K. Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: diagnosis, genetics, management, and treatment. Curr Probl Cancer. 2014 Jan-Feb;38(1):7-41.https://www.cpcancer.com/article/S0147-0272(14)00002-6/fulltexthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636754?tool=bestpractice.com[15]Eisenhofer G. Screening for pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2012 Apr;14(2):130-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258313?tool=bestpractice.com
有这些基因突变的患者通常更早发病、双侧发病,并且更可能发生肾上腺外肿瘤。