Paraganglioma of the spermatic cord: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Highlights A paraganglioma, or an extra-adrenal catecholamine-producing tumor, is a clinically significant neuroendocrine tumor with an incidence of 3–8 cases per million population. The majority of paragangliomas, 85–90%, occur in the adrenal glands and 98% are found in the abdomen. Unlike pheochromocytomas, where only 10% are malignant, paragangliomas carry a 40–50% malignancy rare, and their development is part of a hereditary syndrome in 30% of cases. The most common hereditary syndromes associated with paragangliomas are von Hipple-Lindau (VHL), multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (MEN 2) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Herein we describe and review the 13th paraganglioma documented arising from the spermatic cord.