[Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis of retroperitoneal paragangliomas: a study of 19 cases]

To investigate the clinical characteristics, surgical treatment and prognostic analysis of retroperitoneal paragangliomas and to enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic levels of retroperitoneal paragangliomas.

The clinical data of all patients undergoing paraganglioma resection at our department from November 1999 to March 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters included clinical manifestations, tumor function, surgical findings, operative approach, tumor pathology, imaging study and post-operative survival time.

(1) The ratio of male to female was 1.375:1 and the median age 50 years old. The most common presenting symptom was abdominal mass (9/19, 47%). And the preoperative CT misdiagnosis rate was high (89%). (2) The most common tumor location was periaortic and percival (9/19, 47%). The average maximal diameter of tumors was 8.6 cm. 58% (11/19) tumors had integral peplow, 42% (8/19) adhered to adjacent organs and 26% (5/19) required adjacent organ resection. (3) The rate of functional tumor was 63% (12/19). Preoperative and intra-operative hypertension occurred in 67% (8/12) and 33% (4/12) respectively. (4) Immunohistochemical staining was performed in 18 tumors of 16 patients. Among all tumors, 89% (16/18) showed positive immunoreactivity for chromogranin and 67% (12/18) for S-100. PCNA staining showed different proliferative activities (0%-48% positive). Only malignant tumors showed positive immunoreactivity for Ki-67 staining and P53 staining (20% & 34% respectively). (5) The overall 5-year survival was 77%. Survival was significantly worse after metastasis (χ2=6.604, P=0.01). But it was not dependent on tumor diameter (χ2=3.208, P=0.201), the secreting function of tumor (χ2=0.121, P=0.728) and the status of tumor margins (χ2=0.036, P=0.849).

It is difficult to make an early diagnosis of retroperitoneal paragangliomas. Survival is significantly worse after metastasis. Lifelong follow-up for recurrence is important. And it is absolutely essential to perform immunohistochemical staining for tumors.