Safety of biopsy in phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma: an international, multicentre, retrospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Percutaneous biopsy of PPGLs was associated with a low mortality rate. Serious complication rates were also low, most of which were not catecholamine-related.
Study context
- Population
- Patients of any age with phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) who had percutaneous core-needle biopsy or fine-needle aspiration; head and neck paragangliomas excluded; 19 hospitals across 11 countries, 1993–2025234 biopsies
- Participants
- 222 patients
- Outcome
- Biopsy-related mortality rate for biopsies performed at participating centres
Methodological detailsinternational, multicentre
- International
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Biopsy-related mortality
Biopsy-related death (infection), of 106 biopsies at participating centres
1 (mortality rate 0.9% [95% CI 0.0-5.1])
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Baseline catecholamine status and α-blockade
- Elevated epinephrine or norepinephrine (or metabolites), of 207 patients
- 139 (67%)
- Biopsies preceded by α-adrenoceptor blockade, of 232 biopsies
- 27 (12%)
Safety
Serious catecholamine-related complications
- Serious catecholamine-related complications (tachyarrhythmia, hypertensive crisis, cardiogenic shock), of 233 biopsies
- 4 (1.7% [0.5-4.3])
- None in patients without catecholamine excess (n=59), with fine-needle aspiration (n=46), or after biopsy of metastatic lesions (n=114)
- 0
Serious non-catecholamine-related complications
- Serious non-catecholamine-related complications, mainly bleeding and infection, of 233 biopsies
- 10 (4.3% [2.1-7.8])
Original publication
Safety of biopsy in phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma: an international, multicentre, retrospective cohort study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. Published 8 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →