Phaeochromocytoma
/ˌfiːəʊkrəʊməʊsaɪˈtəʊmə/noun
A usually adrenal-gland tumor arising from chromaffin cells and capable of producing excess catecholamines.
Did you know?The tumor’s chromaffin cells are named because their granules darken when exposed to chromium salts, creating a literal chemical color change used in early pathology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
phaios
“Dusky, dark, or gray-brown”
Ancient Greek
Greek
chrōma
“Color or complexion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kytos
“A hollow vessel or container; later, a cell”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-ōma
“A swelling, mass, or tumor”
Early 20th Century
German
Phäochromozytom
“A tumor of chromaffin cells, named for their dusky coloration after chromium treatment”
Modern English
English
phaeochromocytoma
“A catecholamine-secreting tumor, most often arising in the adrenal medulla”