Case Report and Review of Literature: Patient with Malignant Pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors that arise from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. At least 10 percent of pheochromocytomas are malignant. A diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma can only be made by identifying tumor deposits in tissues that do not normally contain chromaffin cells. The clinical course of malignat pheochromocytoma is highly variable, with reported five-year survival rates that range widely from 12 to 84 percent. We report a rare case of a 38-year-old female who have malignant pheochromocytoma. We review the classic and current literature regarding management of this uncommon tumor.