Very late recurrence of an apparently benign pheochromocytoma

J Cancer Res Ther. 2015 Oct-Dec;11(4):1036. doi: 10.4103/0973-1482.154942.

Abstract

Pheochromocytoma is a tumor that has the probability to relapse in about 10% of surgically treated cases. Currently, the only recognized criteria of malignancy in these neoplasms are the evidence of metastasis at non-chromaffin sites. No reliable clinical or histopathological parameter has been, so far, identified to predict malignancy in patients with diagnosis of primary pheochromocytoma. Several authors has attempted to propose morphologic features to detect potentially malignant pheochromocytomas, but there are still too many reported cases of recurrence, also after decades, in tumors that, according to the current knowledge, are considered "benign". Here we report a case of recurrence, after 25 years, of a pheochromocytoma that had not enough criteria to be considered as malignant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / surgery
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery
  • Pheochromocytoma / pathology*
  • Pheochromocytoma / surgery
  • Prognosis