title: Interleukin-6 producing pheochromocytoma presenting with acute inflammatory syndrome.
abstract: Pheochromocytomas are tumors able to produce catecholamines and a variety of biologically active neuropeptides. We report the case of a 36-yr-old female patient with pheochromocytoma exhibiting headache, intermittent fever, thrombocytosis, and marked inflammatory signs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were ineffective in lowering the body temperature, while a corticosteroid agent obtained excellent results. IL-6 was found elevated (20 pg/ml); it fell to 4.5 pg/ml 3 weeks after the adrenalectomy, in parallel to normalization of other laboratory data. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) over-production can either be ascribed directly to the tumor (as confirmed by immunohistochemistry) or indirectly accounted for by tumoral production, as a consequence of the high levels of circulating norepinephrine. To our knowledge, our paper represents the 6th case report of IL-6 secreting pheochromocytoma associated with clinical markers of inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of clinical and Biological Sciences, General Medical Clinic, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano (TO), Italy. marcominetto@libero.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minetto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dovio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cappia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daffara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terzolo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angeli
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009638:Norepinephrine