Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is a hereditary cancer syndrome characterized by the development of vascular tumors of the central nervous system and retina, renal carcinomas, pheochromocytomas, pancreatic islet cell tumors, endolymphatic sac tumors, and benign cysts affecting a variety of organs.
The VHL clinical care center at Penn is dedicated to the comprehensive evaluation and management of children and adults with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. At the center, we provide coordinated multidisciplinary care including diagnosis, medical management, genetic counseling, genetic testing, education, and support.
Physicians from both the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia participate collaborate to treat patients with VHL syndrome. They have expertise in minimal invasive surgery for renal cell carcinoma, adrenal-sparing surgery for pheochromocytoma, hypertension management and management of VHL-associated retinal disease.
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has state-of-the-art imaging techniques with significant expertise in CT and MRI imaging of all organ systems including the kidneys, brain and spine, as well as interventional radiology and nuclear medicine studies.