27th May 2025

Epidemiology

The annual incidence of phaeochromocytoma is low at 2 to 9.1 per 1 million adults. It occurs with equal prevalence in men and women, and across different ethnicities. The peak age of onset is in the 3rd to 5th decades of life. Approximately 20% of cases are found in children, owing to underlying genetic conditions. It is estimated that 50% of phaeochromocytomas are only diagnosed at autopsy, as many cases remain asymptomatic.