Endocrinological manifestations of Von Hippel-lindau disease: narrative review

Authors

  • Alejandro Román González Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
  • Huber Said Padilla Zambrano Universidad de Cartagena, Colombia
  • Carlos Builes Barrera Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.38.3.616.99

Keywords:

neuroendocrine tumor, pheochromocytoma, Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

Abstract

Von Hippel-Lindau disease is an autosomal dominant neoplastic syndrome characterized
by a germline mutation of the VHL gene encoding the VHL protein on chromosome 3. This
mutation predisposes to the development of benign and malignant tumors that affect different
organs, due to an absence of inhibition of the hypoxia-inducible factor-mediated tumorigenesis
pathway. The prevalence of this disease is 2 to 3 per 100,000 people, and neoplasms
are most frequently located in the retina, central nervous system, head and neck,
pancreas, kidney, adrenal gland, and the organ. It is classified into 2 types depending on
the presence or absence of pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma and pancreatic neoplasms
are the most frequent endocrine manifestations. Pheochromocytoma occurs in 10-
30% of cases. It can range from an asymptomatic entity to a variable symptomatology that
includes the classic triad of headache, palpitations and diaphoresis. The diagnosis is made
through biochemical tests that confirm high levels of catecholamines and imaging studies.
Pancreatic lesions are frequently asymptomatic and are detected incidentally in imaging studies performed in VHL patients. Although the clinical and biochemical characteristics of
these malignancies are not pathognomonic, they may be useful in suggesting VHL disease
as the underlying etiology.

Author Biographies

Alejandro Román González, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

Internista-Endocrinólogo, Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia). Profesor Universidad
de Antioquia, internista endocrinólogo Hospital Universitario San Vicente
Fundación. Medellín (Colombia). alejandro.roman@udea.edu.co.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5942-1035.

Huber Said Padilla Zambrano, Universidad de Cartagena, Colombia

Estudiante de pregrado. Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Cartagena. Cartagena
de Indias (Colombia). huber_padilla20@hotmail.com.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4523-0646.

Carlos Builes Barrera, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

Profesor Universidad de Antioquia(Colombia). Internista endocrinólogo Hospital
Universitario San Vicente Fundación. Medellín (Colombia).
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6217-117X

Published

2022-12-01

How to Cite

Román González, A., Padilla Zambrano, H. S., & Builes Barrera, C. (2022). Endocrinological manifestations of Von Hippel-lindau disease: narrative review. Salud Uninorte, 38(3), 875–890. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.38.3.616.99