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Eisenhofer G, Pamporaki C, Lenders JWM. Biochemical Assessment of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma. Endocr Rev 2023; 44:862-909. [PMID: 36996131 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) require prompt consideration and efficient diagnosis and treatment to minimize associated morbidity and mortality. Once considered, appropriate biochemical testing is key to diagnosis. Advances in understanding catecholamine metabolism have clarified why measurements of the O-methylated catecholamine metabolites rather than the catecholamines themselves are important for effective diagnosis. These metabolites, normetanephrine and metanephrine, produced respectively from norepinephrine and epinephrine, can be measured in plasma or urine, with choice according to available methods or presentation of patients. For patients with signs and symptoms of catecholamine excess, either test will invariably establish the diagnosis, whereas the plasma test provides higher sensitivity than urinary metanephrines for patients screened due to an incidentaloma or genetic predisposition, particularly for small tumors or in patients with an asymptomatic presentation. Additional measurements of plasma methoxytyramine can be important for some tumors, such as paragangliomas, and for surveillance of patients at risk of metastatic disease. Avoidance of false-positive test results is best achieved by plasma measurements with appropriate reference intervals and preanalytical precautions, including sampling blood in the fully supine position. Follow-up of positive results, including optimization of preanalytics for repeat tests or whether to proceed directly to anatomic imaging or confirmatory clonidine tests, depends on the test results, which can also suggest likely size, adrenal vs extra-adrenal location, underlying biology, or even metastatic involvement of a suspected tumor. Modern biochemical testing now makes diagnosis of PPGL relatively simple. Integration of artificial intelligence into the process should make it possible to fine-tune these advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graeme Eisenhofer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Christina Pamporaki
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jacques W M Lenders
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Constantinescu G, Preda C, Constantinescu V, Siepmann T, Bornstein SR, Lenders JWM, Eisenhofer G, Pamporaki C. Silent pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: Systematic review and proposed definitions for standardized terminology. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1021420. [PMID: 36325453 PMCID: PMC9618947 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1021420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors with heterogeneous clinical presentations and potential lethal outcomes. The diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion, biochemical testing, imaging and histopathological confirmation. Increasingly widespread use of imaging studies and surveillance of patients at risk of PPGL due to a hereditary background or a previous tumor is leading to the diagnosis of these tumors at an early stage. This has resulted in an increasing use of the term "silent" PPGL. This term and other variants are now commonly found in the literature without any clear or unified definition. Among the various terms, "clinically silent" is often used to describe the lack of signs and symptoms associated with catecholamine excess. Confusion arises when these and other terms are used to define the tumors according to their ability to synthesize and/or release catecholamines in relation to biochemical test results. In such cases the term "silent" and other variants are often inappropriately and misleadingly used. In the present analysis we provide an overview of the literature and propose standardized terminology in an attempt at harmonization to facilitate scientific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgiana Constantinescu
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Endocrinology, Grigore T. Popa University, Iasi, Romania
- Department of Health Care Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden Inter-national University, Dresden, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christina Pamporaki, ; Georgiana Constantinescu,
| | - Cristina Preda
- Department of Endocrinology, Grigore T. Popa University, Iasi, Romania
| | - Victor Constantinescu
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, University Clinic Carl-Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Timo Siepmann
- Department of Health Care Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden Inter-national University, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan R. Bornstein
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Health Care Sciences, Center for Clinical Research and Management Education, Dresden International University, Dresden, Germany
- Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacques W. M. Lenders
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Graeme Eisenhofer
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christina Pamporaki
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christina Pamporaki, ; Georgiana Constantinescu,
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