Response of cavernous sinus hemangioma to radiotherapy: a case report

The author reports a case of a histologically proven cavernous hemangioma of the cavernous sinus and middle fossa, which was treated by radiotherapy. This very rare lesion represents a formidable challenge to the neurosurgeon and its excision has been associated with a considerable mortality rate. The significant reduction in the size of tumor of our patient after radiotherapy and the corresponding improvement in her clinical condition provide further evidence in support of the use of radiotherapy as the first line treatment modality after the histological confirmation of a cavernous sinus hemangioma. Surgery should be reserved for tumors that fail to respond to radiotherapy or recur after an initial good response to radiotherapy.