Extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma-producing epinephrine

Occult extraadrenal pheochromocytoma treated as diabetes mellitus

Pheochromocytoma usually is associated with a combination of various manifestations caused by overproduction of catecholamines. We encountered a case of an occult, catecholamine-secreting pheochromocytoma. A 70-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of anorexia. He had been treated for diabetes mellitus for 4 years; during this period he did not have any other symptoms related to pheochromocytoma. At admission, serum epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucose levels and urinary excretion of total metanephrine were elevated. A tumor was detected in the left adrenal region and diagnosed as pheochromocytoma. After tumor resection, the increased levels of catecholamines and glucose and the decreased urinary C-peptide were normalized. This suggests that the pheochromocytoma caused hyperglycemia without other manifestations for a long time.