[A young woman with neurofibromatosis 1 (Recklinghausen disease), abdominal tumor and hypertension].

METHODS

A 38-year-old woman, known to have type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1; von Recklinghausen's disease) and recurrence of a malignant haemangiopericytoma in the lower abdomen developed hypertension. She also had headaches and marked perspiration. Physical examination revealed tachycardia and paleness of the distal digits, in addition to multiple neurofibromas and café-au-lait spots.

METHODS

A tumour was found in the region of the right adrenal gland, in addition to the known haemangiopericytoma. The levels of epinephrine and dopamine were elevated, suggesting an orthotopic phaeochromocytoma as the cause of the hypertension. Mutation analysis confirmed the neurofibromatosis by demonstrating a splice mutation of the NF1 gene in exon 8. She also was found to have emphysema of the right upper and middle lobes of the lung.

METHODS

Because of the extensive local changes the recurrent haemangiopericytoma was only partially resected. At the same time a right adrenalectomy was performed without complication. However, the patient's postoperative recovery was slow, but she was now normotensive. Planned radiotherapy was omitted because of her poor general state. Instead she was given weekly palliative chemotherapy with adriamycin, with little improvement. She died several weeks later from the malignancy.

CONCLUSIONS

This case emphasizes that in a patient with NF1 a phaeochromocytoma must be considered as a possible cause of hypertension. It is likely that the patient's emphysema was associated with the NF1, while the haemangiopericytoma was presumably unconnected with the NF1.