Radiation therapy of metastatic pheochromocytoma: case report and review of the literature.
Malignant pheochromocytomas are rare tumors, which are considered radioresistant on the basis of little information. We report a patient, with cranial nerve deficits from a pheochromocytoma metastatic to the parasellar region, who promptly responded to radiation therapy (2,500 cGy) with reversal of neurologic deficit. The disease recurred 2 years later and again promptly responded upon treatment to 2,000 cGy. Hepatic metastases were controlled for over 1 year with 3,240 cGy. The radiotherapy of pheochromocytoma and chemodectoma is reviewed, and the similarities between the two kinds of tumor are discussed. We speculate that a higher initial radiation dose might have resulted in a more sustained remission in our patient and recommend doses of 4,000-5,000 cGy if they can be safely administered, in 4-5 weeks for pheochromocytomas.
Yu
L
L
Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
Fleckman
A M
AM
Chadha
M
M
Sacks
E
E
Levetan
C
C
Vikram
B
B
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010236:Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D012658:Sella Turcica