Sunitinib, a novel therapy for anthracycline- and cisplatin-refractory malignant pheochromocytoma.
We report a case of malignant pheochromocytoma recurred after debulking surgery. A 17-year-old male patient visited our hospital for right flank pain. He had not experienced palpitations, headache, sweating or weight loss. Level of urinary catecholamine and its metabolite increased above normal values and abdominal computed tomography showed a huge right adrenal mass. One month after debulking surgery, anterior mediastinal and multiple liver metastases were found. These tumors had no response to two conventional regimens of combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dacarbazine and anthracycline; and etoposide and cisplatin). We treated the patient with sunitinib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The tumor showed very good metabolic response to the therapy. In patient with malignant pheochromocytoma, sunitinib might be one therapeutic strategy for malignant pheochromocytomas.
Park
Kyung-Sun
KS
Department of Oncology and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Jae-Lyun
JL
Ahn
Hanjong
H
Koh
Jung-Min
JM
Park
Inkeun
I
Choi
Jun-Seok
JS
Kim
Yi Rang
YR
Park
Tai Sun
TS
Ahn
Jin-Hee
JH
Lee
Dae Ho
DH
Kim
Tae Won
TW
Lee
Jung Shin
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077210:Sunitinib
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077210:Sunitinib