Metastatic carotid body paraganglioma detected during evaluation for biliary stone disease. Issue 10 (8th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oakes, Alison; Witt, Benjamin; Adler, Douglas G.
• Is Part Of: Diagnostic cytopathology. Volume 42:Issue 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 868
• Page End: 871
• Publication Date: 2014-03-08
• Subjects: Cytodiagnosis -- Periodicals; Pathology, Cellular -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; 616.07582
• DOI: 10.1002/dc.23038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 8755-1039

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Carotid body paragangliomas are neuroendocrine cell tumors. Most invade locally to surrounding tissues with metastases being less commonly encountered than with other tumors: a minority of tumors metastasizes to distal sites. Spread is more unusual after surgical removal of the primary tumor. Hepatic spread is very rare but has been documented. We report a case of a clinically silent metastatic paraganglioma identified during an evaluation for choledocholithiasis.</p> <p>We describe a 70‐year‐old female presenting with symptoms of abdominal pain who was found to have cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. MRI imaging performed during evaluation revealed enhancing liver and lung lesions suspicious for metastasis. FNA of a hepatic lesion showed paraganglioma. She had a remote history of bilateral carotid body tumors, of which the left tumor was resected in 2005.</p> <p>This is a rare case of metastatic carotid body paraganglioma. Primary tumor source was a resected tumor or a smaller sized nodule that was managed with serial imaging. The subject's lack of symptoms and her disease extent with confirmed hepatic and presumed pulmonary spread is unique. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:868–871. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </abstract>