Initial work-up and long-term follow-up in patients with phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas

Catecholamine-producing tumours may arise in the adrenal medulla (phaeochromocytomas) or in extra-adrenal chromaffin cells (paragangliomas). The most specific and sensitive diagnostic test is the determination of plasma or urinary metanephrine levels. The tumour can be located by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and metaiodo-benzylguanidine scintigraphy. Patients are treated by tumour resection. Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas may be sporadic or the result of several genetic diseases: multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, neurofibromatosis 1, von Hippel-Lindau disease, succinate dehydrogenase–phaeochromocytoma–paraganglioma syndrome. Familial cases are diagnosed earlier and are more frequently bilateral and recurrent than sporadic cases. About 10% of tumours are malignant, either at initial surgery or during follow-up. Recurrences and malignancy are more frequent in cases with large or extra-adrenal tumours and in the succinate dehydrogenase subunit B-related phaeochromocytoma–paraganglioma syndrome. Patients should be followed up indefinitely, particularly if they have familial or extra-adrenal tumours.