A rarely seen case among retroperitoneal mass lesions: paraganglioma

Pheochromocytomas are rarely seen cathecolamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors. Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this rarely seen condition have been discussed. In this study, a retroperitoneal paraganglioma with a diameter of 27 mm was detected in a 29-years old nephrectomized male patient. In our case, in reevaluations performed after definitive establishment of the diagnosis, any abnormal radiological signs suggesting a metastatic lesion were not detected. During the postoperative period the patient was referred to the clinics of endocrinology, and oncology for medical follow-up. In the differential diagnosis of retroperitoneal mass lesions, pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma should not be forgotten. Besides, for malignant tumors chemoradiotherapy, and for benign functional tumors medical treatment should be applied.