Current diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytoma in children. Experience with 22 consecutive tumors in 14 patients
M. G. Caty, A. G. Coran, M. Geagen and N. W. Thompson
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.
Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of childhood. In comparison with adults
with pheochromocytomas, children have a higher incidence of bilaterality,
familial association, and extra-adrenal location. Fourteen children with 22
tumors were treated during the period 1970 through 1988. Children presented
at a mean age of 13 years. Most children (10 of 14) presented with
sustained hypertension. The majority of tumors were located with a
combination of computed tomography and iodine 131 metaiodobenzylguanidine
scanning. Eight adrenal and six extra-adrenal tumors were resected. Four
children underwent bilateral adrenalectomy. Follow-up data are available on
9 of the 14 children. All of these patients remain normotensive without
medication. Preoperative examination of children with pheochromocytoma
using the iodine 131 metaiodobenzylguanidine scan provides an accurate
diagnosis of adrenal and extra-adrenal tumors, thus making feasible
resection of this rare tumor with complete cure.
