Ganglioneuroma

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Central nervous system

A ganglioneuroma usually causes no symptoms, and is only discovered when being examined or treated for another condition.

Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor and the type of chemicals released.

If the tumor is in the chest area (mediastinum), symptoms may include:

• Breathing difficulty
• Chest pain
• Compression of the windpipe (trachea)

If the tumor is lower down in the abdomen in the area called the retroperitoneal space, symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating

If the tumor is near the spinal cord, it may cause:

• Compression of the spinal cord, which leads to pain and loss of strength or feeling in the legs, the arms, or both
• Spine deformity

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These tumors may produce certain hormones, which can cause the following symptoms:

• Diarrhea
• Enlarged clitoris (women)
• High blood pressure
• Increased body hair
• Sweating

The best tools to identify a ganglioneuroma are:

• CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
• MRI scan of the chest and abdomen

Blood and urine tests may be done to determine if the tumor is producing hormones or other chemicals.

A biopsy or complete removal of the tumor may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Review Date: 09/13/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).