Radiotheraphy in chemodectoma of the glomus jugulare

Twenty-five patients treated for glomus jugulare tumours over a 13-year period are reviewed, the majority (20) receiving radiotherapy only. Only two patients developed tumour recurrence, one following inadequate-dose radiotherapy, the other after surgery. Both are doing well following radiotherapy for their recurrent disease. Two patients were lost to follow-up and five have died of unrelated disease, four with no tumour reactivation over a prolonged period. The remaining 16 patients have been maintained in continuous tumour control for periods ranging from 4 to 15 years. While these tumours are by nature slow growing and usually not malignant, they demand radical treatment due to the symptomatology they create. Radiotherapy would seem to offer excellent prospect of satisfactory tumour control.