Interleukin-6 secreting phaeochromocytoma associated with clinical markers of inflammation.
Phaeochromocytomas have been shown to produce not only catecholamines but other neuropeptides and hormones, with a variety of clinical manifestations. We report a 70-year-old female patient with phaeochromocytoma exhibiting sustained hypertension, low-grade fever, thrombocytosis, and elevated levels of plasma fibrinogen and C-reactive protein. Serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels were significantly elevated, whereas serum IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta were not detectable. After surgical removal of the tumour, hypertension and low-grade fever disappeared, and the laboratory finding including serum IL-6 concentrations became normal. Immunohistochemical study of the tumour showed positive staining for IL-6. Culture of the resected tumour revealed the production of large amounts of IL-6. It is suggested that IL-6 secreted by the tumour was responsible for some of the clinical manifestations in this patient.
Takagi
M
M
Department of Medicine III, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Egawa
T
T
Motomura
T
T
Sakuma-Mochizuki
J
J
Nishimoto
N
N
Kasayama
S
S
Hayashi
S
S
Koga
M
M
Yoshizaki
K
K
Yoshioka
T
T
Okuyama
A
A
Kishimoto
T
T
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery
D015850:Interleukin-6; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins