[Diagnosis and treatment of recurrent pheochromocytoma]

From 1959 to 1992, 216 patients with pheochromocytoma were treated by complete resection of the tumor in our hospital. Ten patients (4.6%) were found to have recurrent pheochromocytoma 1-21 years after operation. Five patients underwent surgical removal of the tumor and normally lived for 1 to 4 years. In remaining 5 patients malignant change was confirmed. Two patients died of extensive metastasis. One who had a recurrent tumor metastasis in the thoracic vertebra was treated with dibenzyline for 9 years. The remaining 2 patients were treated by 131I-MIBG. To prevent or minimize the incidence of recurrence of pheochromocytoma, we suggest: (1) avoid needle biopsy of the tumor, (2) prevent a rupture of the tumor capsule, (3) ligate the veins around the tumor as early as possible and (4) resect the tumor completely or perform a subtotal or total removal of the involved adrenal gland in unilateral cases.