Robotic Treatment of Adrenal Sclerosing PEComa: A Case Report with 13 Years of Follow-Up and a Literature Review
Background: Sclerosing perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms, typically benign but occasionally exhibiting aggressive behavior. This study reports a case of sclerosing PEComa of the adrenal gland that was treated with robotic partial adrenalectomy, with 13 years of follow-up and a review of the literature. Methods: A 48-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain. Imaging revealed a 10 × 9 cm adrenal mass displacing adjacent structures. MRI and 18F-FDG PET-CT suggested angiomyolipoma. Robotic partial adrenalectomy was performed. Intraoperative frozen section analysis identified the mass as angiomyolipoma, while final histopathology confirmed it as a sclerosing PEComa. Results: This case highlights the advantages of robotic surgery in the management of large adrenal tumors, allowing complete tumor removal while preserving functional adrenal tissue. The extended 13-year follow-up is significant, given the potential for recurrence or malignant transformation reported in other cases. A literature review identified 39 reported cases of sclerosing PEComas, with few documenting long-term outcomes. Conclusions: This is a documented case of robotic partial adrenalectomy for sclerosing PEComa. The findings support robotic surgery as a safe effective approach for managing this rare tumor, with excellent functional and oncological results. Extended follow-up reinforces the tumor’s benign behavior and the importance of long-term monitoring in PEComas.
Authors
- Giovanni Cochetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3982-2004)
- Matteo Mearini
- Luca Lepri
- Andrea Vitale
- Michele Del Zingaro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4430-0190)
- Ettore Mearini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1652-2965)
- Alessio Paladini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2680-3429)
- Guido Massa
- Raffaele La Mura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1873-4032)
- Jessica Pagnotta
Institutions
- University of Perugia (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Applied Sciences
- Published
- 2025-08-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/app15169161
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.16