SILENT MIXED GANGLIONEUROMA PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA WHICH PRODUCES A VASOACTIVE INTESTINAL POLYPEPTIDE

An unusual pheochromocytoma was incidentally discovered in a 48-year-o ld woman. The patient had a 3-year history of myasthenia gravis. At th e time of examination in our hospital, the right adrenal tumor was inc identally discovered by ultrasonography of the abdomen. She had no his tory of headache, perspiration, palpitation or hypertension. Although blood catecholamine levels were within the normal limits, urinary secr etion of catecholamine was elevated. Histologically, the tumor was dia gnosed to be mixed ganglioneuroma/pheochromocytoma and histochemically confirmed to produce vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Such a tumor is quite rare.