Intrathoracic paraganglioma arising from aorticosympathetic paraganglion

A slowly growing intrathoracic paraganglion arising from an aorticosympathetic ganglion was removed from a 22-year-old woman. It was adherent to the parietal pleura and azygos vein, but not to the spinal cord. She has been well for the two years since that time. This patient represents the sixth tumor reported in this location. Most of the reported tumors are benign with occasional local invasion as seen in paragangliomas in other locations (carotid and aortic bodies). Complete excision of the tumor is the treatment of choice, but partial excision may provide long-term survival. A new classification and terminology suggested by Glenner and Grimley is emphasized. It groups logically the tumors arising from the paraganglion cells on the basis of anatomic distribution, innervation, and microscopic structure.