Neuropeptide Y secretion from a malignant extraadrenal retroperitoneal paraganglioma.
A patient with a malignant extraadrenal retroperitoneal paraganglioma had elevated levels of immunoreactive neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the peripheral blood (5988 pg/ml; normal, 123 +/- 30 pg/ml [mean +/- standard error of the mean]). A 6-month course of chemotherapy allowed surgical removal of the previously unresectable primary tumor. Postoperatively, the plasma NPY level initially fell to 1089 pg/ml; continued chemotherapy caused an additional decrease to 440 pg/ml. Four months after surgery, the plasma NPY level increased to 940 mg/ml, coincident with hepatic metastases. This case is the first report of a NPY-secreting clinically nonfunctional malignant extraadrenal paraganglioma. Determination of circulating NPY levels may be useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with neuroendocrine tumors.
Kuvshinoff
B W
BW
Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio 45267.
Nussbaum
M S
MS
Richards
A I
AI
Bloustein
P
P
McFadden
D W
DW
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D010236:Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D009478:Neuropeptide Y