CONTEXT: Modern pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are often discovered by incidental finding on cross-sectional imaging or mutation-based genetic case detection testing. Little is known about how these PHEOs behave. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics and behavior of PHEOs discovered incidentally on imaging or through mutation-based genetic case detection testing. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Referral center. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with pathology-confirmed PHEOs, treated from 2005 to 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Tumor size, plasma/urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines, and preoperative management. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-one patients (52% women, median age 52.0 years) presented with 296 PHEOs. Discovery method was most often incidental finding on cross-section imaging (61%) rather than PHEO-related symptoms (27%) or mutation-based case detection testing (12%). Patients with incidentally discovered PHEOs were older than symptomatic and mutation-based case detection testing patients (median age 56.6 vs 43 vs 35 years, P < 0.0001). Mutation-based case detection PHEOs were smaller than those discovered due to symptoms (median size 29.0 vs 50.5 mm, P = 0.0027). Patients with PHEOs discovered due to symptoms had the highest median concentration of 24-hour urinary metanephrines and total plasma metanephrines (P < 0.0001). These patients required a higher cumulative phenoxybenzamine dose than patients with incidental or case detection PHEO (median 450 vs 375 vs 270 mg, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: PHEOs are primarily discovered due to incidental finding on cross-sectional imaging rather than PHEO-related symptoms. PHEOs discovered through mutation-based genetic case detection testing were smaller and required less α-adrenergic blockade preoperatively compared with PHEOs found due to symptoms, which supports routine case detection testing for patients genetically predisposed for PHEOs.
CONTEXT: Modern pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are often discovered by incidental finding on cross-sectional imaging or mutation-based genetic case detection testing. Little is known about how these PHEOs behave. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics and behavior of PHEOs discovered incidentally on imaging or through mutation-based genetic case detection testing. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Referral center. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with pathology-confirmed PHEOs, treated from 2005 to 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Tumor size, plasma/urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines, and preoperative management. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-one patients (52% women, median age 52.0 years) presented with 296 PHEOs. Discovery method was most often incidental finding on cross-section imaging (61%) rather than PHEO-related symptoms (27%) or mutation-based case detection testing (12%). Patients with incidentally discovered PHEOs were older than symptomatic and mutation-based case detection testing patients (median age 56.6 vs 43 vs 35 years, P < 0.0001). Mutation-based case detection PHEOs were smaller than those discovered due to symptoms (median size 29.0 vs 50.5 mm, P = 0.0027). Patients with PHEOs discovered due to symptoms had the highest median concentration of 24-hour urinary metanephrines and total plasma metanephrines (P < 0.0001). These patients required a higher cumulative phenoxybenzamine dose than patients with incidental or case detection PHEO (median 450 vs 375 vs 270 mg, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: PHEOs are primarily discovered due to incidental finding on cross-sectional imaging rather than PHEO-related symptoms. PHEOs discovered through mutation-based genetic case detection testing were smaller and required less α-adrenergic blockade preoperatively compared with PHEOs found due to symptoms, which supports routine case detection testing for patients genetically predisposed for PHEOs.
Authors: Kenneth A Mayuga; Artur Fedorowski; Fabrizio Ricci; Rakesh Gopinathannair; Jonathan Walter Dukes; Christopher Gibbons; Peter Hanna; Dan Sorajja; Mina Chung; David Benditt; Robert Sheldon; Mirna B Ayache; Hiba AbouAssi; Kalyanam Shivkumar; Blair P Grubb; Mohamed H Hamdan; Stavros Stavrakis; Tamanna Singh; Jeffrey J Goldberger; James A S Muldowney; Mark Belham; David C Kem; Cem Akin; Barbara K Bruce; Nicole E Zahka; Qi Fu; Erik H Van Iterson; Satish R Raj; Fetnat Fouad-Tarazi; David S Goldstein; Julian Stewart; Brian Olshansky Journal: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol Date: 2022-09-08
Authors: Irina Bancos; Elizabeth Atkinson; Charis Eng; William F Young; Hartmut P H Neumann Journal: Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol Date: 2020-11-26 Impact factor: 32.069