Pheochromocytoma in Indian patients: a retrospective study.

To review the clinical experience on pheochromocytoma in Indian subset of patients. Ten patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma between 2001 and 2010 at our institute were retrospectively studied for clinical, laboratory, radiological and surgical data. A total of 10 patients (5 females and 5 males) aged between 23 and 64 years diagnosed as pheochromocytoma were managed at our institute. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (90%) and hypertension (50%). The tumor was intra-adrenal in 70% and extra-adrenal in 30%. 20% were on right side and 50% on left side. CT scan of abdomen was the most widely used method for tumor localization. Among laboratory assays, 24-h urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) was the most widely used. None of our patients were found to be associated with hereditary pheochromocytoma syndrome. All hypertensive patients were preoperatively treated with phenoxybenzamine and propranolol. All underwent explorative laparotomy and adrenelectomy. Malignancy was reported in 40% of cases and these received adjuvant radiotherapy. Among hypertensive patients, surgery caused remission of hypertension in 60%. All patients were followed up with 24-h urinary VMA levels and CT scan of abdomen regularly. Survival ranged from 1 to 9 years. The present study confirms that the clinical presentation of pheochromocytoma is variable and non-specific. Often the tumor is discovered incidentally. Though pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor, proper evaluation, preoperative preparation and complete surgical excision are important for its management.