Malignant paraganglioma of the urinary bladder. A case report

Paraganglioma (pheochromocytoma) is probably the most fascinating of all tumors as it can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Paraganglioma of the urinary bladder is one of the rare tumors and constitute less than 10% of all bladder tumors. The common presentation of paraganglioma of the urinary bladder is painless haematuria, headache, palpitation and anxiety. Malignancy is uncommon and no histological feature is characteristic of malignancy. Invasion of adjacent organs or metastasis to the lymph nodes is the only criteria to suggest malignancy. In the presence of proven metastasis radical cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy is recommended. In the present case the tumor was arising from anterior wall of the bladder away from the bladder neck and that in a large capacity bladder it was possible to get a wide margin for partial cystectomy along with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy without violating the oncological principles. At a follow up of two years there is no evidence of recurrence of tumor.