Pheochromocytoma and medullary thyroid carcinoma in a pregnant multiple endocrine neoplasia-2A patient

The diagnosis and management of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma during pregnancy

Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL) in pregnancy has been associated historically with high rates of materno-fetal morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence suggests outcomes are improved by recognition of PPGL before or during pregnancy and appropriate medical management with alpha-blockade. Whether antepartum surgery (before the third trimester) is required remains controversial and open to case-based merits. Women with PPGL in pregnancy are more commonly delivered by Caesarean section, although vaginal delivery appears to be safe in selected cases. At least some PPGLs express the luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) which may explain their dramatic manifestation in pregnancy. PPGLs in pregnancy are often associated with heritable syndromes, and genetic counselling and testing should be offered routinely in this setting. Since optimal outcomes are only achieved by early recognition of PPGL in (or ideally before) pregnancy, it is incumbent for clinicians to be aware of this diagnosis in a pregnant woman with hypertension occurring before 20 weeks' gestation, and acute and/or refractory hypertension particularly if paroxysmal and accompanied by sweating, palpitations and/or headaches. All women with a past history of PPGL and/or heritable PPGL syndrome should be carefully assessed for the presence of residual or recurrent disease before considering pregnancy.

Pheochromocytoma in Pregnancy: A Syndromic Association

Introduction

Pheochromocytoma during pregnancy is a rare cause of secondary hypertension with lethal consequences to both mother and fetus. As patients are young, the possibility of syndromic associations like MEN-2, VHL, NF-1, etc., needs to be considered.

Methodology

Three primigravida were diagnosed before the 20th week of gestation when they presented with classical triad of pheochromocytoma.

Results

Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was confirmed by 24 h urinary metanephrine/normetanephrine or epinephrine/norepinephrine levels. Non-contrast MRI abdomen could localize the tumor. One patient had medullary thyroid carcinoma with hyperparathyroidism, indicative of MEN-2A. Another patient had brain stem hemangioblastoma, pancreatic cysts and family history of spinal hemangioblastoma, so diagnosed to have Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. Whereas, the third patient had sporadic pheochromocytoma. Preoperatively, they required antihypertensive medications including prazosin and metoprolol. They underwent laparoscopic/open adrenalectomy between 19th and 21st week of gestation without complication. Histopathology in all the three patients revealed low-grade pheochromocytoma by pheochromocytoma of the adrenal gland scaled score. None required antihypertensive medications after surgery. All the three newborns were small for gestational age, while one neonate expired due to intra-cardiac rhabdomyoma. So, the timely evaluation and surgical intervention for pheochromocytoma avoid lethal consequences.

Conclusions

Pregnancy leads to unmasking of pheochromocytoma as it is physiological stress. The syndromic association is more frequent as the population is younger. A poor fetal outcome like IUGR can be explained by endovascular changes in uterine vessel or due to the associated manifestations of MEN-2A, VHL syndromes. Family members should be screened for associated syndromic feature.

Pheochromocytoma in neurofibromatosis type 1 during pregnancy

Pregnant women with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) have increased complications during gestation, including hypertensive disorders that are sometimes caused by pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma is an extremely rare condition during pregnancy, and the main clinical manifestation is hypertension. If not properly treated, pheochromocytoma has high maternal and fetal mortality rates. Early recognition and adequate clinical management before delivery have led to better outcomes in the last few decades. Despite the association of NF-1 and pheochromocytoma, there are few clinical reports of these two conditions in pregnant patients. We present a rare case of pheochromocytoma diagnosed during pregnancy in a patient with NF-1, and we describe the treatment and the obstetric and fetal outcomes. We also review other medical conditions related to NF-1 that complicated this patient's pregnancy.

Recurrence of phaeochromocytoma in pregnancy in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A: a case report and review of literature

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A) is an autosomal dominant inherited condition with a prevalence of one in 40 000 individuals. It causes the development of tumours in endocrine glands, such as medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytomas, as well as primary hyperparathyroidism. MEN 2A in pregnancy is very rare with only 29 cases reported in the literature. The presence of pheochromocytoma is a rare cause of hypertension during pregnancy with an incidence of 0.007% of all pregnancies. This has severe implications on both mother and the foetus. This case report describes a 22-year-old nulliparous Caucasian woman with known MEN2A syndrome, who underwent thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma in childhood and excision of left sided pheochromocytoma at the age of 19. She was found to have a recurrence of pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal gland during pregnancy at 16 weeks of gestation and was oddly normotensive. Catecholamine effects were blocked with phenoxybenzamine and she delivered by an uneventful elective caesarean section at 36 weeks gestation. She underwent a laparoscopic right adrenalectomy six weeks postpartum, followed by lifelong corticosteroid replacement.

Systematic review of phaeochromocytoma in pregnancy

Background

Phaeochromocytoma in pregnancy is a rare and potentially dangerous situation for mother and fetus. This review aimed to assess current mortality rates and how medical and surgical management affect these.

Methods

Articles in English published between 2000 and 2011 were obtained from a MEDLINE search. Eligible publications presented women diagnosed with phaeochromocytoma in the antenatal or immediate postnatal period, and reported management and outcomes.

Results

A total of 135 reports were identified. After applying inclusion criteria, 77 pregnancies involving 78 fetuses were analysed. Fetal and maternal mortality rates were 17 per cent (13 of 78) and 8 per cent (6 of 77) respectively. Better outcomes were achieved when the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma was made in the antenatal period than when it was made during labour or immediately postpartum (survival of both mother and fetus(es) in 48 of 56 versus 12 of 21 respectively; P = 0·012). When the diagnosis was made before 23 weeks' gestation, there was no difference in outcomes when phaeochromocytoma surgery was carried out in the second trimester, compared with when it was postponed to the third trimester or after delivery (fetal death 2 of 18 versus 2 of 8 respectively; P = 0·563).

Conclusion

This review, although limited by the rarity of the condition and level of available evidence, demonstrated that survival rates are improved if the diagnosis of phaeochromocytoma can be established antenatally. With diagnosis before 23 weeks' gestation, no definite advantage of proceeding with tumour removal during the second trimester could be demonstrated.