Giant multicystic malignant pheochromocytoma
Erdal Uysal1, Türkay Kırdak2, Ahmet Orhan Gürer1, Mehmet Ali İkidağ3
1Department of General Surgery, Sanko University, Gaziantep, Turkey
2Department of General Surgery, Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey
3Department of Radiology, Sanko University, Gaziantep, Turkey
Abstract
Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor originating from the embryonic neural crest and secreting high levels of catecholamines. The average tumor size is approximately 7 cm, and the average weight is approximately 200 g in the previous publications. Sometimes these tumors may be bigger. In this report, a case of multicystic malignant pheochromocytoma with a huge size is presented, which is seldom reported in the past. A 37-year-old male patient was referred to our hospital for etiological investigation of his recently diagnosed hypertension. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) examination was performed for further evaluation of the lesion and surrounding tissues. The lesion was 18×8×13 cm in size. It had lobulated margins, large cystic components, and peripheral and septal contrast enhancement. The levels of metanephrine, normetanephrine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, vanilmandelic acid, and dopamine were significantly elevated. The patient was prepared for surgery. In the pathological evaluation, the mass weighed 1018 g and was 18×8x13 cm in size. He was diagnosed with malignant pheochromocytoma. After eight months, a CT examination showed a recurrent mass, liver metastasis, and distant metastasis. The patient received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Multicystic malignant pheochromocytoma may reach huge sizes without causing any symptoms.
Keywords: Giant, malignant, pheochromocytoma
Cite this paper as: Uysal E, Kırdak T, Gürer AO, İkidağ MA. Giant multicystic malignant pheochromocytoma. Turk J Surg 2017; 33: 296-298.
Written informed consent was obtained from patient who participated in this case.
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept - E.U., T.K., A.O.G., M.A.İ.; Design - E.U., T.K., A.O.G., M.A.İ.; Supervision - E.U., T.K., A.O.G., M.A.İ.; Funding - E.U., T.K.; Materials - E.U., T.K., M.A.İ; Data Collection and/or Processing - E.U., T.K., M.A.İ.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - E.U., T.K., A.O.G., M.A.İ.; Literature Review - E.U., T.K., A.O.G.; Writer - E.U., T.K., M.A.İ.; Critical Review - E.U., T.K., A.O.G.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.