Interleukin-6 producing pheochromocytoma presenting with acute inflammatory syndrome

Pheochromocytomas are tumors able to produce catecholamines and a variety of biologically active neuropeptides. We report the case of a 36-yr-old female patient with pheochromocytoma exhibiting headache, intermittent fever, thrombocytosis, and marked inflammatory signs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammator...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of endocrinological investigation 2003-05, Vol.26 (5), p.453-457
Main Authors: MINETTO, M, DOVIO, A, VENTURE, M, CAPPIA, S, DAFFARA, F, TERZOLO, M, ANGELI, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - blood
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - complications
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - metabolism
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - pathology
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - surgery
Adrenalectomy
Adrenals. Adrenal axis. Renin-angiotensin system (diseases)
Adult
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Endocrinopathies
Female
Female genital diseases
Fever - etiology
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Interleukin-6 - blood
Medical sciences
Non tumoral diseases. Target tissue resistance. Benign neoplasms
Norepinephrine - blood
Paraneoplastic Syndromes - blood
Paraneoplastic Syndromes - etiology
Pheochromocytoma - blood
Pheochromocytoma - complications
Pheochromocytoma - metabolism
Pheochromocytoma - pathology
Pheochromocytoma - surgery
Tumors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Pheochromocytomas are tumors able to produce catecholamines and a variety of biologically active neuropeptides. We report the case of a 36-yr-old female patient with pheochromocytoma exhibiting headache, intermittent fever, thrombocytosis, and marked inflammatory signs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were ineffective in lowering the body temperature, while a corticosteroid agent obtained excellent results. IL-6 was found elevated (20 pg/ml); it fell to 4.5 pg/ml 3 weeks after the adrenalectomy, in parallel to normalization of other laboratory data. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) over-production can either be ascribed directly to the tumor (as confirmed by immunohistochemistry) or indirectly accounted for by tumoral production, as a consequence of the high levels of circulating norepinephrine. To our knowledge, our paper represents the 6th case report of IL-6 secreting pheochromocytoma associated with clinical markers of inflammatory response.
ISSN:0391-4097
1720-8386
DOI:10.1007/BF03345202