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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar;49(3):3000605211003014.
doi: 10.1177/03000605211003014.

Primary endobronchial paraganglioma with lymph node metastasis: a case report

Xiao-Jun Huang  1 , Chengxiang Wu  2 , Xi-Yuan Chen  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Primary endobronchial paraganglioma with lymph node metastasis: a case report

Xiao-Jun Huang et al. J Int Med Res. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

A paraganglioma is an extra-adrenal tumor of the paraganglia often found in association with sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. A primary pulmonary paraganglioma generally presents as multiple small tumors or a solitary mass; however, endobronchial involvement is extremely rare. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a chronic cough, intermittent dyspnea, and chest pain. Chest computed tomography revealed a rounded, high-density lesion in the left lower lung lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy demonstrated an endobronchial mass characterized by smooth, hypervascularized mucosa. Transbronchial biopsy of the mass and immunohistochemistry results suggested a paraganglioma. The patient fully recovered after lobectomy and lymphadenectomy. Pulmonary paragangliomas are rarely reported. Complete surgical resection is considered the treatment of choice for pulmonary paragangliomas, and the long-term prognosis is generally good. However, life-long follow-up is mandatory because of the possibility of recurrence and metastasis. This case report adds valuable knowledge to the literature on pulmonary paragangliomas.

Keywords: Paraganglioma; case report; immunohistochemistry; lung; thoracic surgery; transbronchial biopsy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) Chest computed tomography scan showing a pulmonary paraganglioma (arrow) of about 1.5 cm in diameter. (b) Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging showing the same tumor (arrow).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(a) The pulmonary paraganglioma was an endobronchial mass characterized by smooth, hypervascularized mucosa (arrow). (b) Hematoxylin–eosin staining (100×) showing the peripheral capsule and rich microvasculature.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
(a, b) Typical anastomosing cords of tumor cells arranged in a trabecular pattern or a nesting pattern, separated by rich microvasculature.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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