# Metastatic Pheochromocytoma in a Patient With Li-Fraumeni Syndrome

**Authors:** Sotiris Loizidis, Christiana Matthaiou, Efrosini Iacovou, Karel Pacak, Ashley Grossman

PMC · DOI: 10.1210/jcemcr/luaf166 · JCEM Case Reports · 2025-08-01

## TL;DR

A patient with Li-Fraumeni syndrome developed metastatic pheochromocytoma, a rare occurrence in this genetic condition.

## Contribution

This case highlights the unusual manifestation of metastatic pheochromocytoma in a TP53-mutated individual.

## Key findings

- A TP53 pathogenic variant carrier developed metastatic pheochromocytoma.
- Pheochromocytoma is a rare manifestation of Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
- The case contributes to understanding the genomic landscape of PCCs/PGLs in TP53-mutated individuals.

## Abstract

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare cancer predisposition syndrome caused by genomic alterations in the tumor protein p53 (TP53) gene. The lifetime risk of developing cancer is very high, and carriers of germline TP53 pathogenic variants must be closely monitored starting from a young age. LFS is particularly associated with specific tumors, such as breast cancer, soft tissue and bone sarcomas, primary central nervous system cancers, acute leukemia, and adrenocortical carcinoma. Despite its association with a broad spectrum of malignancies, pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PCC/PGL) is an unusual manifestation of LFS and has only rarely been reported. Here, we present a case of a 57-year-old female patient who is a carrier of a deleterious germline TP53 pathogenic variant and developed a PCC; several years later, she had lung and bone lesions compatible with metastatic PCC. We also discuss the most recent literature regarding the genomic landscape of PCCs/PGLs and their pathogenesis in connection with TP53 pathogenic variants.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157]
- **Diseases:** Li-Fraumeni syndrome (MONDO:0018875), pheochromocytoma (MONDO:0004974), paraganglioma (MONDO:0000448), breast cancer (MONDO:0004989), adrenocortical carcinoma (MONDO:0006639), acute leukemia (MONDO:0010643)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** RET (ret proto-oncogene) [NCBI Gene 5979] {aka CDHF12, CDHR16, HSCR1, MEN2A, MEN2B, MTC1}, ESR1 (estrogen receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 2099] {aka ER, ESR, ESRA, ESTRR, Era, NR3A1}, SDHC (succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit C) [NCBI Gene 6391] {aka CYB560, CYBL, PGL3, PPGL3, QPS1, SDH3}, SYP (synaptophysin) [NCBI Gene 6855] {aka MRX96, MRXSYP, XLID96}, KRT7 (keratin 7) [NCBI Gene 3855] {aka CK7, K2C7, K7, SCL}, CTNNB1 (catenin beta 1) [NCBI Gene 1499] {aka CTNNB, EVR7, MRD19, NEDSDV, armadillo}, KMT2D (lysine methyltransferase 2D) [NCBI Gene 8085] {aka AAD10, ALR, BCAHH, CAGL114, KABUK1, KMS}, GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) [NCBI Gene 2625] {aka HDR, HDRS}, MDH2 (malate dehydrogenase 2) [NCBI Gene 4191] {aka DEE51, EIEE51, M-MDH, MDH, MGC:3559, MOR1}, MEN1 (menin 1) [NCBI Gene 4221] {aka MEAI, SCG2}, SDHA (succinate dehydrogenase complex flavoprotein subunit A) [NCBI Gene 6389] {aka CMD1GG, FP, MC2DN1, NDAXOA, PGL5, PPGL5}, SETD2 (SET domain containing 2, histone lysine methyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 29072] {aka HBP231, HIF-1, HIP-1, HSPC069, HYPB, KMT3A}, VHL (von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor) [NCBI Gene 7428] {aka HRCA1, RCA1, VHL1, pVHL}, ATRX (ATRX chromatin remodeler) [NCBI Gene 546] {aka JMS, MRX52, RAD54, RAD54L, XH2, XNP}, CHGA (chromogranin A) [NCBI Gene 1113] {aka CGA, PHE5, PHES}, TTF1 (transcription termination factor 1) [NCBI Gene 7270] {aka TTF-1, TTF-I}, CSDE1 (cold shock domain containing E1) [NCBI Gene 7812] {aka D1S155E, UNR}, SLC25A11 (solute carrier family 25 member 11) [NCBI Gene 8402] {aka OGC, PGL6, PPGL6, SLC20A4}, MAML3 (mastermind like transcriptional coactivator 3) [NCBI Gene 55534] {aka CAGH3, ERDA3, GDN, MAM-2, MAM2, TNRC3}, SDHB (succinate dehydrogenase complex iron sulfur subunit B) [NCBI Gene 6390] {aka CWS2, IP, MC2DN4, PGL4, PPGL4, SDH}, NF1 (neurofibromin 1) [NCBI Gene 4763] {aka NFNS, VRNF, WSS}, NKX2-1 (NK2 homeobox 1) [NCBI Gene 7080] {aka BCH, BHC, NK-2, NKX2.1, NKX2A, NMTC1}, TMEM127 (transmembrane protein 127) [NCBI Gene 55654], S100B (S100 calcium binding protein B) [NCBI Gene 6285] {aka NEF, S100, S100-B, S100beta}, FGFR1 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 2260] {aka BFGFR, CD331, CEK, ECCL, FGFBR, FGFR-1}, EGLN1 (egl-9 family hypoxia inducible factor 1) [NCBI Gene 54583] {aka C1orf12, ECYT3, HALAH, HIF-PH2, HIFPH2, HPH-2}, TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, SDHD (succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit D) [NCBI Gene 6392] {aka CBT1, CII-4, CWS3, MC2DN3, PGL, PGL1}, HRAS (HRas proto-oncogene, GTPase) [NCBI Gene 3265] {aka C-BAS/HAS, C-H-RAS, C-HA-RAS1, CTLO, H-RASIDX, HAMSV}, EREG (epiregulin) [NCBI Gene 2069] {aka EPR, ER, Ep}, TP63 (tumor protein p63) [NCBI Gene 8626] {aka AIS, B(p51A), B(p51B), EEC3, KET, LMS}
- **Diseases:** tumorigenesis (MESH:D063646), adrenocortical carcinoma (MESH:D018268), tumorigenic (MESH:D002471), lymphadenopathy (MESH:D008206), inherited cancer syndrome (MESH:D009386), adrenal lesions (MESH:D000307), lung and bone lesions (MESH:D008171), neuroendocrine tumors (MESH:D018358), LFS (MESH:D016864), breast cancer (MESH:D001943), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), acute leukemia (MESH:D015470), adrenal mass (MESH:C536030), soft tissue and bone sarcomas (MESH:D012509), mastectomy (MESH:D000072656), triple-negative breast cancer (MESH:D064726), necrosis (MESH:D009336), type 2 diabetes mellitus (MESH:D003924), metastases (MESH:D009362), papillary thyroid cancer (MESH:D000077273), PCC (OMIM:115700), PV (MESH:D011087), central nervous system cancers (MESH:D009369), hypoxic (MESH:D002534), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (MESH:D018223), DCIS (MESH:D002285), Adrenal Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma (MESH:D010673), lung nodules (MESH:D003074), invasive carcinoma (MESH:D009361), PGL (MESH:D010235), blood pressure (MESH:D006973)
- **Chemicals:** catecholamine (MESH:D002395), doxazosin (MESH:D017292), 131I-MIBG (MESH:D019797), 177Lu (MESH:C000615061), NMN (MESH:D009537), metanephrine (MESH:D008676), MN (MESH:D008345), NA (MESH:D012964), normetanephrine (MESH:D009647), cabozantinib (MESH:C558660), cyclophosphamide- (MESH:D003520), temozolomide (MESH:D000077204), tamoxifen (MESH:D013629), 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-octreotate (-), sunitinib (MESH:D000077210), 18F-FDG (MESH:D019788), 3-methoxytyramine (MESH:C001746), -dacarbazine (MESH:D003606), 68Ga-DOTATATE (MESH:C513399)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]
- **Mutations:** c.566C>T, c.376-2A>G, p. (Cys247Tyr), c.31G>C, c.1010G>A, arginine substitution by glutamine at codon 248, c.730G>A, c.725G>A

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## References

28 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12314270/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12314270