Metastatic disease and major adverse cardiovascular events preceding diagnosis are the main determinants of disease-specific survival of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma: long-term follow-up of 303 patients

Locally advanced pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma exhibit high metastatic recurrence and disease specific mortality rates: long-term follow-up of 283 patients

IMPORTANCE

Data on locally advanced (LAP) pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL), based on capsular, vascular or periadrenal fat invasion, tumor emboli and extra-adrenal extension, are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To compare outcomes of patients with LAP and without (nLAP).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study, 1981-2024, prospectively supplemented 2020-2024.

SETTING

Referral center.

OUTCOMES

Overall, metastatic and nonmetastatic recurrence, overall (OAS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

RESULTS

Of 283 patients followed for 11.3 ± 8.8 (mean ± SD) years, 79 (27.9%) had LAP. Compared to patients with nLAP (n = 204), patients with LAP had more overall (n = 17 vs. 31, hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-5.0) and metastatic (11 vs. 9, HR 6.8, 2.2-20.6) and similar (6 vs. 22, HR 1.2, 0.5-3.0) nonmetastatic recurrences. OAS was comparable (12 vs. 42 nonsurvivors, HR 1.2, 0.6-2.3), but mortality from metastatic disease was higher with LAP (2 vs. 4 deaths, HR 12.2, 1.8-82.8). Extra-adrenal tumor location was predictive of metastatic and nonmetastatic recurrence but not of OAS or DSS, tumor size of metastatic recurrence and of DSS, cluster 1 and 2 pathogenic variants of overall and nonmetastatic recurrence but not of OAS or DSS. LAP with tumor emboli and extra-adrenal extension predicted overall (HR 4.5, 1.3-14.2 and 5.0, 1.4-13.7) and metastatic recurrence (HR 24.6, 6.4-91.8 and 6.5, 1.6-23.4), OAS (HR 21.2, 2.8-108, tumor emboli only) and DSS (HR 22.6, 3.5-183 and 13.1, 1.7-120), LAP with vessel invasion nonmetastatic recurrence (HR 3.6, 1.2-10.0).

CONCLUSION

Patients with LAP vs. nLAP have higher metastatic recurrences and worse DSS. Tumor emboli and extra-adrenal extension indicated lower DSS, warranting a close follow-up.

Progress in treatment and follow-up of pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) is an uncommon neuroendocrine tumor originating from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. These tumors are capable of producing and releasing substantial amounts of catecholamine (CA) hormones. Individuals with PHEO often experience transient blood pressure fluctuations, headaches, and palpitations, among other symptoms. In extreme cases, they may develop severe complications, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular incidents, myocardial disorders, and gastrointestinal issues. At the advanced stage, PHEO can affect multiple organs, potentially leading to pheochromocytoma crisis. However, the clinical manifestations of pheochromocytoma may be diverse. Some patients have no typical triad of headache, palpitations, and sweating, and are not accompanied by obvious clinical symptoms or signs. There are only abnormalities in imaging and biochemical indicators, which will pose a challenge for early diagnosis. The primary treatment options for PHEO encompass surgical and non-surgical approaches. In contrast to many other adrenal pathologies, there is currently no consensus on the optimal surgical versus non-surgical management of PHEO. Laparoscopic surgery, as opposed to traditional open surgery, offers numerous benefits. However, whether retroperitoneal or transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy remains controversial. Da Vinci robot-assisted adrenalectomy has the advantages of highly precise operation and excellent hemostasis capabilities. The day surgery management model for adrenalectomy procedures has proven to be both safe and feasible. However, current research on its long - term effectiveness and wide - scale application still has limitations. Additionally, the application of the Senhance robot in urology, particularly in adrenalectomy, has seen relatively little investigation thus far. In terms of non-surgical treatment for pheochromocytoma, chemotherapy, radionuclide therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, as well as radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation chemotherapy have all advanced significantly. This article aims to review the latest advancements in the treatment of pheochromocytoma.

Molecular radiotherapy for adult type metastatic neuroendocrine tumours in children

PURPOSE

Paraganglioma, phaeochromocytoma and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours are rare in childhood. Molecular radiotherapy is one potential treatment for locally inoperable or metastatic disease. This study reviews the use and efficacy of molecular radiotherapy with both [131I] meta iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) and [177Lu] DOTATATE in this patient group.

METHODS

This is an observational cohort study of all patients aged less than 18 years with adult type metastatic neuroendocrine cancers treated with molecular radiotherapy from 2003 to 2023 in one national referral centre.

RESULTS

Twelve patients, six male and six female, were treated. The median age at diagnosis was 12 years 3 months (range 7 years 11 months to 15 years 5 months), and at first molecular radiotherapy treatment was 13 years 7 months (range 8 years 8 months to 16 years 2 months). Nine had paraganglioma or phaeochromocytoma, three had other neuroendocrine tumours. Three received [177Lu] DOTATATE only, four received [131I] mIBG only, and five received both radiopharmaceuticals. Three patients had rapid disease progression and died within a year. Following initial treatment of the others, two had a complete response, four had a partial response, one had stable disease, and two had a mixed response. Nine patients remain alive, at a median of 5 years 0 months (range 2 years 4 months to 21 years 5 months) after start of treatment.

CONCLUSION

Molecular radiotherapy can be beneficial, and may provide good disease control for long periods in a proportion of these patients. Combining different radiopharmaceuticals may be of value.