[Radiotherapy as primary treatment for chemodectoma?]

Chemodectomas are slowly growing tumours originating in the chemoreceptor bodies. The diagnosis is based on typical clinical symptoms and radiological investigation. CT scanning with contrast enhancement permits to establish diagnosis in most cases and gives a correct idea of tumour size, tumour extension, displacement of arteries and bone destruction. Small tympanic chemodectomas are successfully managed by surgery, without causing additional cranial nerve palsies. Surgery of larger lesions is frequently followed by a high percentage of local recurrence (greater than 50%) and important morbidity (neurologic sequelae). Our present series confirms that these tumours can successfully be treated by radiotherapy. Persisting local control rates can be obtained in more than 90% of cases with moderate doses (45-50 Gy in 5 weeks) of carefully planned radiotherapy.