Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors that produce, metabolize, and usually secrete catecholamines. Although hypertension is a common presenting feature of pheochromocytoma, the tumors occur (or are present) in only 0.1% of patients with hypertension. The variability of symptoms and rarity of occurrence render these tumors difficult to diagnose; many are discovered incidentally during radiological examination or at autopsy. A patient is presented with a pheochromocytoma that was discovered incidentally when she presented with abdominal pain and a normal blood pressure.
Adrenal cell carcinoma is a rare tumor and more than 70% of patients present with advanced stages. Adrenal cell carcinoma is an aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. Surgical intervention is the gold standard treatment and mitotane is the only drug approved for the treatment of adrenal cell carcinoma. Until recently in 2012, the etoposide, doxorubicin, cisplatin plus mitotane are approved as first-line therapy based on response rate and progression-free survival. This case illustrates a case of advanced adrenal cell carcinoma in a young girl who presented with huge adrenal mass with inferior vena cava thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Multi-approach of therapy was used to control the tumor size and metastasis. Therefore, it may prolong her survival rate for up to 5 years and 4 months.