Skip to main content
PMC home page
Skull Base Surgery logoLink to Skull Base Surgery
. 1996 Jan;6(1):35–45. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1058911

Catecholamine-Secreting Paragangliomas at the Skull Base

Rudolf Kuhweide, Michael J Lanser, Ugo Fisch
PMCID: PMC1656505  PMID: 17170951

Abstract

Paragangliomas (glomus tumors) comprise 15% of all neoplasms at the skull base. Despite extensive growth, these tumors usually do not secrete active biogenic substances into the circulation in sufficient quantities to produce symptoms. When they do secrete large amounts of catecholamines, they will cause symptoms that mimic a pheochromocytoma. The still confusing nomenclature of paragangliomas is reviewed, and the clinical work-up, surgical treatment, and follow-up of five patients with catecholamine-secreting paragangliomas of temporal bone (3), infratemporal fossa (1), and nasopharynx (1) are presented and discussed.

Full text

PDF
43

Images in this article

40Figure 3
on p.40
41Figure 3
on p.41
42Figure 4
on p.42
43Figure 5
on p.43

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bogdasarian R. S., Lotz P. R. Multiple simultaneous paragangliomas of the head and neck in association with multiple retroperitoneal pheochromocytomas. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (1979) 1979 Sep-Oct;87(5):648–652. doi: 10.1177/019459987908700520. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cantrell R. W., Kaplan M. J., Atuk N. O., Winn H. R., Jahrsdoerfer R. A. Catecholamine-secreting infratemporal fossa paraganglioma. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1984 Nov-Dec;93(6 Pt 1):583–588. doi: 10.1177/000348948409300610. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Carney J. A. The triad of gastric epithelioid leiomyosarcoma, pulmonary chondroma, and functioning extra-adrenal paraganglioma: a five-year review. Medicine (Baltimore) 1983 May;62(3):159–169. doi: 10.1097/00005792-198305000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Farrior J. B., 3rd, Hyams V. J., Benke R. H., Farrior J. B. Carcinoid apudoma arising in a glomus jugulare tumor: review of endocrine activity in glomus jugulare tumors. Laryngoscope. 1980 Jan;90(1):110–119. doi: 10.1288/00005537-198001000-00013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GAFFNEY J. C. Carotid-body-like tumours of the jugular bulb and middle ear. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1953 Jul;66(1):157–170. doi: 10.1002/path.1700660120. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Girgis I. H., Fahmy S. A. Nasopharyngeal fibroma: its histo-pathological nature. J Laryngol Otol. 1973 Nov;87(11):1107–1123. doi: 10.1017/s002221510007804x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Glassock M. E., 3rd, Jackson C. G., Dickins J. R., Wiet R. J. Panel discussion: glomus jugulare tumors of the temporal bone. The surgical management of glomus tumors. Laryngoscope. 1979 Oct;89(10 Pt 1):1640–1654. doi: 10.1002/lary.5540891015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hodge K. M., Byers R. M., Peters L. J. Paragangliomas of the head and neck. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1988 Aug;114(8):872–877. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1988.01860200056018. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. House J. M., Goodman M. L., Gacek R. R., Green G. L. Chemodectomas of the nasopharynx. Arch Otolaryngol. 1972 Aug;96(2):138–141. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1972.00770090212008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Karasov R. S., Sheps S. G., Carney J. A., van Heerden J. A., DeQuattro V. Paragangliomatosis with numerous catecholamine-producing tumors. Mayo Clin Proc. 1982 Sep;57(9):590–595. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lack E. E., Cubilla A. L., Woodruff J. M., Farr H. W. Paragangliomas of the head and neck region: a clinical study of 69 patients. Cancer. 1977 Feb;39(2):397–409. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197702)39:2<397::aid-cncr2820390205>3.0.co;2-c. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lawson W. The neuroendocrine nature of the glomus cells: an experimental, ultrastructural, and histochemical tissue culture study. Laryngoscope. 1980 Jan;90(1):120–144. doi: 10.1288/00005537-198001000-00014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MORAN T. E. Nonchromaffin paraganglioma of the nasal cavity. Laryngoscope. 1962 Feb;72:201–206. doi: 10.1288/00005537-196202000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nelson M. D., Kendall B. E. Intracranial catecholamine secreting paragangliomas. Neuroradiology. 1987;29(3):277–282. doi: 10.1007/BF00451767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Pearse A. G. The APUD cell concept and its implications in pathology. Pathol Annu. 1974;9(0):27–41. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Remine W. H., Chong G. C., Van Heerden J. A., Sheps S. G., Harrison E. G., Jr Current management of pheochromocytoma. Ann Surg. 1974 May;179(5):740–748. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197405000-00029. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Schwaber M. K., Glasscock M. E., Nissen A. J., Jackson C. G., Smith P. G. Diagnosis and management of catecholamine secreting glomus tumors. Laryngoscope. 1984 Aug;94(8):1008–1015. doi: 10.1288/00005537-198408000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Schwaber M. K., Gussack G. S., Kirkpatrick W. The role of radiation therapy in the management of catecholamine-secreting glomus tumors. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1988 Feb;98(2):150–154. doi: 10.1177/019459988809800209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Scoppa J., Tonkin J. P. Non-chromaffin paraganglioma of the nasopharynx. J Laryngol Otol. 1975 Jun;89(6):653–656. doi: 10.1017/s0022215100080853. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Som P. M., Sacher M., Stollman A. L., Biller H. F., Lawson W. Common tumors of the parapharyngeal space: refined imaging diagnosis. Radiology. 1988 Oct;169(1):81–85. doi: 10.1148/radiology.169.1.2843942. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Strauss M., Nicholas G. G., Abt A. B., Harrison T. S., Seaton J. F. Malignant catecholamine-secreting carotid body paraganglioma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1983 Jun;91(3):315–321. doi: 10.1177/019459988309100323. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tannir N. M., Cortas N., Allam C. A functioning catecholamine-secreting vagal body tumor. A case report and review of the literature. Cancer. 1983 Sep 1;52(5):932–935. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19830901)52:5<932::aid-cncr2820520532>3.0.co;2-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Welbourn R. B. Current status of the apudomas. Ann Surg. 1977 Jan;185(1):1–12. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197701000-00001. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. White M. C., Hickson B. R. Multiple paragangliomata secreting catecholamines and calcitonin with intermittent hypercalcaemia. J R Soc Med. 1979 Jul;72(7):532–538. doi: 10.1177/014107687907200714. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Zollinger R., Hedinger C. Phäochromozytome und sympathische Paragangliome. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1983 Jul 30;113(30):1057–1065. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Skull base surgery are provided here courtesy of Thieme Medical Publishers

RESOURCES