The role of radiotherapy in the management of paraganglioma

Abstract

Paragangliomas or glomus tumors are usually low-grade hypervascular tumors occurring in various sites of the autonomic nervous system including the carotid body, glomus vagale and glomus tympanicum. Although the grading of the tumor suggests a benign clinical course, the tumor can be locally malignant and surgical management is sometimes difficult because of postoperative functional loss and local recurrence. In addition, the operative field is generally very bloody and tissue planes are not always well-defined. Though the optimal management of paraganglioma occurs in a multidisciplinary setting, considering the excellent local control rates with primary irradiation alone, a nonsurgical definitive approach should initially be considered.