title: [Diagnosis and evaluation of head and neck paragangliomas. Clinical and biological manifestations].
abstract: Head and neck paragangliomas are slow-growing tumors and the initial symptoms are sometimes non-specific, often hampering and delaying diagnosis. These tumors may be asymptomatic, even when they have reached a considerable size. Symptomatology is highly varied in terms of anatomical location, stage (degree of invasion, local involvement and the presence of metastasis) and catecholamine secretion (pheochromocytoma), which not only produces a series of systemic manifestations but also serves as a guide to the search for specific genetic diseases, of which these tumors may be a component. Thus, in addition to identifying their anatomical location, excess catecholamine production must be assessed and genetic diagnosis must be completed before surgery is performed.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. anaismza@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Sánchez Marcos
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santos Gorjón
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez González
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz Herrera
mesh_terms: D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines