title: Malignant pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: future considerations for therapy.
abstract: Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare neuroendocrine tumors. Knowledge about such neoplasms ameliorated in the last 10-15 years with the discovery of increasing number of germ line mutations even in apparently sporadic cases. Seemingly, genetic tests are going to be an integral part of diagnostic procedures. Standard therapies (advanced surgery, radiometabolic therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) have revealed suboptimal results in tumor size reduction and survival. Currently, there is no standard therapeutic protocol and thus some patients end up with overtreatment while others are undertreated. An effective molecular target therapy aiming at permanent control of these highly complex neoplasms should be the aim of future efforts. In clinical setting investigatory trials with multiple drug therapies targeting a variety of different parallel pathways should be available. Successful management requires a multidisciplinary teamwork.
authors.affiliation: Day Hospital Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. roberto.buzzoni@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buzzoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pusceddu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aktolun
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milione
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mazzaferro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Braud
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccauro
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zaffaroni
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Castellani
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000639:trends; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*