There is currently no single histological or molecular marker to diagnose malignant phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). This study by Zhong et al. is the first to describe the development and validation of a prognostic nomogram to predict malignancy in patients with PPGL.

Using a dataset of 347 PPGL patients (randomly divided into a training set (n=208) and a validation set (n=139)) and multivariate logistic regression analysis, the team developed a nomogram based on routinely available clinical variables (such as primary tumour size and location, catecholamine type, vascular invasion) and biomarkers (SDHB mutation and ERBB-2 expression) to predict the likelihood of malignancy from PPGLs in individual patients. The nomogram showed good calibration and discrimination capabilities. The authors hope that it can be used by clinicians to enhance their ability to assess patient prognosis and strengthen prognosis-based decision making.

Read the full article in Clinical Endocrinology 87 127–135