Pheochromocytoma of the urinary bladder: a systematic review of the contemporary literature

Abstract

BackgroundPheochromocytoma (paraganglioma) of the urinary bladder is a rare tumor. Herein we sought to review the contemporary literature on pheochromocytomas of the urinary bladder in order to further illustrate the presentation, treatment options and outcomes of patients diagnosed with these tumors.MethodsA comprehensive review of the current literature was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines by accessing the NCBI PubMed database and using the search terms “paraganglioma, pheochromocytoma, bladder.” This search resulted in the identification of 186 articles published between January 1980 and April 2012 of which 80 articles were ultimately included in our analysis.ResultsPheochromocytomas usually occurred in young adult Caucasians (mean age, 43.3 years; range,11–84 years). According to the literature, the most common symptoms and signs of pheochromocytomas of the urinary bladder were hypertension, headache, and hematuria. Of the 77 cases that commented on catecholamine production, 65 patients had biochemically functional tumors. Approximately 20% of patients were treated by transurethral resection alone, 70% by partial cystectomy and 10% by radical cystectomy. The 75 patients with follow-up information had a mean follow-up of 35 months. At the time of last follow-up, 15 (14.2%) had disease recurrence, 10 (9.4%) had metastasis, and 65 (61.3%) were alive.ConclusionsPheochromocytomas of the urinary bladder tend to be functional and occur mostly in young adult Caucasians. Patients with localized tumors have an extremely favorable prognosis and may be managed by less aggressive modalities, whereas patients with metastatic disease have a significant reduction in survival rates despite aggressive treatment.

Pheochromocytoma of the Urinary Bladder – A Case Report of an Unusual Presentation

“…Initial presentation is extremely varied in these tumors, necessitating a low threshold of suspicion in the face of hypertension or hematuria. Beilan et al [1] extensively reviewed the English literature on this subject and reported the largest analysis of pheochromocytomas involving the urinary bladder. A total of 106 patients included in their own study were analyzed.…”

“…The standard treatment modality for localized or locally advanced pheochromocytomas is surgery, while metastatic or recurrent tumors are treated with palliative therapy [1].…”

“…However, 27 % of pheochromocytomas of the urinary bladder do not feature any hormonal activity [3]. The Pheochromocytoma of the bladder was first described by Zimmermann in 1953 [4], and a little more than 100 cases have been spotted since then [1]. We report an unusual presentation of bladder pheochromocytoma in an adolescent.…”

“…They account for less than 0.05 % of all bladder tumors and less than 1 % of all pheochromocytomas [1]. In the genitourinary tract, the urinary bladder is the most common site for pheochromocytomas (79.2 %), followed by the urethra (12.7 %), pelvis (4.9 %), and ureter (3.2 %) [2,3].…”

Pheochromocytoma of the Urinary Bladder with Recurrence 10 Years Later

“…PUBs, since first reported in 1953, represent less than 1% of all pheochromocytomas and less than 0.05% of all bladder tumors, though the bladder is the most common extra ganglionic location for pheochromocytoma [1,2]. The optimal treatment for PUB is partial cystectomy.…”