Paraganglioma of the Urinary Bladder: A Case Report on a Rare and Unexpected Tumor Location

Cureus. 2023 Jul 17;15(7):e41998. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41998. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Paraganglioma of the urinary bladder is an exceptionally rare tumor. It originates from chromaffin cells, which are responsible for producing catecholamines. We report a unique case of a 74-year-old woman diagnosed with nonfunctional bladder paraganglioma, who presented with macroscopic hematuria and right-sided renal colic but lacked the usual symptoms associated with catecholamine excess. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of nonfunctional variants of paraganglioma due to their histological similarity to urothelial carcinomas. It underscores the importance of a thorough histological examination and the need for a multidisciplinary approach to establish a diagnosis and determine the optimal treatment strategy. Our case contributes to the sparse literature on this rare condition, and it aims to enhance clinicians' awareness and understanding of urinary bladder paragangliomas.

Keywords: diagnosis; immunohistochemistry; paraganglioma; transurethral resection of bladder tumor; treatment; urinary bladder.

Publication types

  • Case Reports