Combination chemotherapy for malignant paraganglioma.

Treatment with a combination chemotherapeutic regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dacarbazine for malignant paraganglioma with hepatic metastasis is reported. A 51-year-old male presented with tumors in the retroperitoneal space and liver. The patient was diagnosed as having paraganglioma based on elevated levels of serum neuron-specific enolase, urinary catecholamine and vanillylmandelic acid, and on histological findings of the liver specimen. The patient was treated with this combination chemotherapy in repeated 21-day cycles. Temporary improvement in laboratory findings and a 20% reduction in the size of the hepatic masses were observed without severe adverse effects.