Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: We determined the prevalence of abnormal secretion of dopamine and other catecholamines in relation to clinical symptoms in patients with head and neck paragangliomas (PGL). The association of catecholamine production with nuclear imaging was also assessed.Methods: Thirty-six consecutive patients with head and neck PGLs, who were referred for follow-up and/or treatment between 1993 and 2009, were included. Clinical symptoms, dopamine excess (u...

Context: Germline mutations of the gene encoding succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) predispose to head and neck paraganglioma (HNPGL), sympathetic PGL, phaeochromocytoma and renal cell carcinoma for which regular surveillance is required. SDHB-associated tumors harbor germline and somatic mutations, consistent with Knudson’s two-hit hypothesis stating that the combination of an inactivating germline mutation as a first hit and somatic loss of funct...