Current assessment and management of glomus tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview on the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of glomus tumors (paragangliomas).


RESULTS
The review focuses on the genetics of paragangliomas and discusses the role of newer therapeutic modalities in the management of jugulotympanic paragangliomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Recent advances in the field of genetics allowed the identification of three main loci involved in hereditary paragangliomas. Genetic screening of patients with family history identifies affected individuals. The management of glomus tumors continues to be a challenging task. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for young healthy patients with functional cranial nerve deficits. Gamma knife radiosurgery is offered as an adjunctive to limited surgery and as the primary treatment modality in poor surgical candidates or patients with bilateral disease.
Semaan
Maroun T
MT
House Ear Institute and House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Megerian
Cliff A
CA
D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005925:Glomus Jugulare Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D005918:Glomus Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods